Russia’s central bank opens Bitcoin, Ether and USDT for public trading on exchanges

The Bank of Russia has added Bitcoin, Ethereum and Tether USD (USDT) to the list of cryptocurrencies allowed for public trading on exchanges. For high-risk payment players, the useful bit is not the headline itself but the direction of travel: Russia is building a formal framework for crypto ownership, trading and oversight.

1. The Bank of Russia said the assets were included in the list of cryptocurrencies available for public circulation on exchanges. The regulator’s press service also said comments and suggestions on the draft can be submitted until 24 August inclusive.
2. The selection criteria are straightforward and very regulator-ish: market capitalization, average daily trading volume, and a price history on foreign venues of at least 5 years. In other words, if the asset is too thin, too new, or too jumpy without a long record, it does not get in.
3. Qualified investors can buy the listed cryptocurrencies without limits. For non-qualified investors, the annual cap is 300,000 rubles. Everyone who wants to trade must pass testing and review the risks of investing in cryptoassets, the regulator said.
4. In July, the State Duma passed a law regulating cryptocurrencies, and it is due to take effect on 1 September. Under the law, cryptocurrency will receive property status, requirements for circulation will appear, and owners of digital currency will be able to protect their rights in court.
5. The same legal package also opens the door for Russians to invest in cryptocurrencies on exchanges through brokers and asset managers. Separately, the Bank of Russia is set to regulate registers of crypto exchanges and digital custodians, while the first draft rules cover organized trading in digital currencies and digital rights.

For PSPs, acquirers and bank partners, the point is simple: Russia is not treating crypto as a payment rail here. The central bank’s earlier concept, sent to the government in December 2025, described digital currencies and stablecoins as currency values that can be bought and sold, but not used for domestic settlements.