Russia Legalizes Bitcoin for Cross-Border Trade on July 1, 2026

Russia is set to legalize Bitcoin and stablecoin payments for cross-border trade on July 1, 2026, marking the culmination of a two-year pilot program that processed around $11 billion in crypto-facilitated commerce last year.

The policy does not make Bitcoin legal tender in Russia but rather carves out a narrow corridor for permissioned use in cross-border invoicing, oil, metals, and grain trade. The ruble remains the sole domestic currency.

Exporters will gain a legal path to accept Bitcoin or stablecoins from foreign buyers cut off from Western banking systems, with settlement occurring in digital assets but clearing domestically in rubles.