New Cryptocurrency Regulation Rules in Russia

The Central Bank of Russia has published clarifications regarding the new rules for regulating the cryptocurrency market. The document establishes clear frameworks for operations by individuals and organizations, introducing temporary restrictions on direct transactions.

Direct purchases and sales of cryptocurrencies between individuals are permitted only until July 1, 2027. After this date, such operations will require the participation of regulatory intermediaries.

Individuals are prohibited from transferring cryptocurrency from digital accounts to their own non-custodial wallets, including hardware devices. Additionally, moving assets between users within digital depositories is forbidden, even following transactions.

All cryptocurrency purchase operations must be conducted through licensed brokers or registered cryptocurrency exchanges. Brokers are strictly prohibited from borrowing cryptocurrency from clients under loan agreements.

Organized trading of the stablecoin USDT may be launched after the relevant directive from the Central Bank takes effect. Russian regulatory rules apply to foreign stablecoins regardless of their classification.

The Central Bank confirmed that cryptocurrencies and Digital Financial Assets (DFAs) are separate categories of assets requiring different regulatory approaches.