Russia Targets September 2026 Rollout of Crypto Market Law

Russia is set to implement its long-awaited crypto market law on September 1, 2026. This will be followed by a nearly 10-month transition period, during which regulators expect market participants to complete licensing and registration requirements.

The new framework, developed by the Bank of Russia and the Finance Ministry, aims to create a licensed ecosystem for crypto exchanges, digital depositories, brokers, management companies, and exchangers. This will allow Russians to trade digital assets on domestic exchanges, subject to testing and investment limits for non-qualified investors.

The central bank expects to finalize supporting regulations by October 2026 and submit them to the Justice Ministry for registration. The proposed legislation will also introduce criminal and administrative liability to separate authorized crypto activities from illegal operations.