TLDR
- Sberbank plans to launch crypto trading infrastructure and a digital depository by Dec. 1, 2026
- Russia’s new crypto regulatory framework takes effect Sept. 1, 2026, with licensing compliance required by July 2027
- Non-qualified investors can buy up to 300,000 rubles of crypto per year after passing a knowledge test
- Public trading will be limited to cryptocurrencies meeting Bank of Russia liquidity and market cap thresholds
- Crypto payments for goods and services inside Russia remain prohibited under the new rules
Russia’s largest bank is pushing into crypto with a hard deadline, and it’s just months away.
Sberbank has announced plans to build cryptocurrency trading infrastructure and launch a digital depository by Dec. 1, 2026. The move comes as Russia prepares to bring crypto trading, custody, and settlement under formal regulation.
Russia’s Largest Bank Sberbank Plans Crypto Trading Infrastructure
Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, plans to build cryptocurrency trading infrastructure and launch a digital custody system by Dec. 1 to support regulated crypto trading, custody and settlement. The system will… pic.twitter.com/ZMMCxIfmag
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 25, 2026
The bank’s digital depository will record customers’ cryptocurrency ownership and handle many transactions off-chain, outside public blockchain networks. Sberbank will also manage active wallets for deposits, withdrawals, and transfers to external addresses.
Alexander Vedyakhin, the bank’s first deputy chairman, confirmed the timeline. He said Sberbank plans to complete all required systems and launch the digital depository before the December deadline.
Russia’s New Crypto Framework Takes Shape
Russia’s regulatory framework for crypto is set to take effect Sept. 1, 2026. It covers exchanges, brokers, banks, and digital depositories. Companies will have until July 1, 2027 to meet licensing requirements.
Under the new rules, both qualified and non-qualified investors will be able to buy cryptocurrency through regulated intermediaries. The rules differ depending on investor type.
Non-qualified investors must first pass a knowledge test. They can then buy up to 300,000 rubles worth of eligible crypto per year through a single intermediary.
Qualified investors must also complete testing but will have access to a wider range of assets without the same annual purchase limit.
Public trading will be limited to cryptocurrencies meeting specific standards. Those standards include an average market cap above 5 trillion rubles and an average daily trading volume above 1 trillion rubles over two years.
The Bank of Russia will supervise the market. It will set standards for custody, accounting, and customer protection.
Sberbank’s History in Digital Assets
Sberbank is not new to digital assets. The bank joined Russia’s register of information system operators in 2022 and has since issued digital financial assets and structured products linked to Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Last year, it began offering qualified investors structured bonds tied to bitcoin. In December 2025, it completed a crypto-backed lending pilot with Russian bitcoin miner Intelion Data, using mined crypto as collateral.
The bank has also submitted proposals to Russia’s central bank on storing customer crypto through regulated banking infrastructure.
Other Russian financial institutions are moving in the same direction. VTB and T-Bank have been developing digital depository services. Moscow Exchange has been looking at regulated crypto operations. Alfa-Bank has tested limited crypto services and custody tools.
Sberbank has not yet named which cryptocurrencies its platform will support. Fees, customer eligibility rules, and withdrawal limits have also not been disclosed. Those details may depend on regulations that Russian authorities still need to finalize.
Crypto payments for goods and services inside Russia will remain prohibited. Cross-border settlements using crypto will be permitted for approved use cases.
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