First cryptocurrency transactions under new regulations could take place by end of year - Central Bank of Russia

YEKATERINBURG. Feb 20 (Interfax) - The first cryptocurrency transactions could be conducted by the end of this year if the corresponding law is passed, head of the Central Bank of Russia's financial market strategic development department Ekaterina Lozgacheva said.

"We expect that in the near future, when the draft bill [on regulating the Russian cryptocurrency market] reaches the State Duma, it will be possible to discuss lots of things in detail, very soon already," Lozgacheva said at the Cybersecurity in Finance forum.

"With the approval of the draft bill this year, we see that the first transactions could take place by the end of this year already, and a rather lively agenda therefore awaits us this year," she said.

At the end of December 2025, the CBR reported that it had submitted a concept for regulating cryptocurrencies in Russia to the government, according to which digital currencies and stablecoins are recognized as currency values which can be bought and sold, though not used for payments within the country. Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov has said previously that the draft bill is expected to be forwarded to the State Duma in March and approved in the spring session.

The CBR's concept allows cryptocurrency transactions to be conducted via existing infrastructure - exchanges, brokers and trustees will be able to operate on the basis of their current licenses. Other requirements will only be set for special depositaries and crypto exchanges. The concept permits qualified investors to acquire cryptocurrency assets without restriction, but limits purchases by non-qualified investors to 300,000 rubles via one intermediary each year.