The Russian State Duma has passed the law On Digital Currencies and Digital Property Rights in its third reading, laying the groundwork for a legal crypto market infrastructure in Russia. Under the new framework, buying, selling, exchanging, and storing cryptocurrency will be permitted through regulated intermediaries, including exchanges, brokers, digital depositories, and similar entities.
However, using cryptocurrency for domestic payments for goods and services remains prohibited. Exceptions are made for foreign trade contracts, mining rewards, blockchain network fees, crypto-to-crypto exchanges, and certain transactions involving securities and tokenized assets.
The core provisions are set to take effect on September 1, 2026, while the mandatory use of licensed intermediaries for transactions will come into force on July 1, 2027. Only Russian companies with at least RUR 15 mln ($190,000) in capital and listed in the Bank of Russia register will be eligible to operate as crypto exchangers.
Financiers note that this move should help bring a significant portion of crypto trading out of the gray zone, establish legal channels for asset storage and exchange, and enhance government oversight of such operations.