Russia opens crypto market: strict rules for banks and richer people!

Russia opens crypto market: strict rules for banks and richer people!

The Bank of Russia announced today, October 10, 2025, that selected commercial banks will have access to the crypto market under strict conditions. This decision follows an experimental crypto regime that allows wealthy individuals and companies to use digital assets for cross-border payments. This measure comes in the context of increasing sanctions and the instability of the ruble.

The new regulation aims to prevent systemic risks and regulatory gaps. Capital restrictions and transparency rules will be introduced to ensure the stability of the financial system. The bank's first deputy chairman, Vladimir Chistyukhin, stressed the need for strict capital limits and robust reserve requirements to maintain the integrity of the regulatory framework. The existing regulations to combat money laundering and terrorist financing should also be applied rigorously.

Conditions of participation and proposed legislation

Participation in the new crypto regime is subject to certain conditions: banks must have minimum amounts of 100 million rubles in deposits and securities, while individuals must have an annual income of over 50 million rubles. Chistyukhin and the bank's governor, Elvira Nabiullina, are pushing for the rapid adoption of a comprehensive crypto law by 2026. A central goal of this law is to create a licensing system for crypto exchanges and to clarify the legal status of crypto service providers.

Growing Western sanctions are putting pressure on Russia's financial industry, which is why those responsible are emphasizing the need to ease existing restrictions. The aim is to develop alternative financial channels that exist outside the influence of the global system dominated by the US dollar.

The role of the A7A5 stablecoin

A key resource in the current crypto ecosystem is the A7A5 stablecoin, a ruble-pegged digital asset that has now reached a market cap of $500 million. Oleg Ogienko, an executive at A7A5, has defended the stablecoin and highlighted its lawful use in accordance with the laws of Kyrgyzstan. For sanctioned companies in Russia, A7A5 represents an important tool to facilitate cross-border trade.

Developments surrounding the crypto market in Russia are in the focus of international observers as the government tries to find ways to address the economic challenges posed by sanctions. The final approval of the framework for access to cryptocurrency transactions is a crucial step in this strategy.

For further information and details about the new regulations, please visit Crypto.news.