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Russia's central bank has finalised rules allowing Bitcoin, Ether and Tether's USDT to trade on regulated domestic exchanges from 17 November 2026, opening cryptocurrency investment to ordinary investors under strict purchase limits and mandatory risk assessments.

The Bank of Russia announced the decision on 6 November. Non-qualified investors — ordinary retail buyers — will be able to purchase up to 300,000 rubles, approximately $3,700, in eligible cryptocurrencies a year through each intermediary. Qualified investors face no equivalent purchase ceiling and can access a broader range of cryptoassets.

Only three assets make the list

The directive names only three permitted assets: Bitcoin, Ether and USDT. The central bank said it selected them on market capitalisation, average daily trading volume and at least five years of pricing history on foreign exchanges. Everything else stays closed to retail buyers. All investors, qualified or not, must complete a mandatory suitability test and acknowledge the risks before trading.

Exchanges prepare to open

The directive does not require every platform to begin offering the assets immediately. Moscow Exchange is separately preparing to launch its cryptocurrency market on 1 December, initially through pilot transactions. The framework implements Federal Law No. 282-FZ, which took effect on 1 September. The central bank has also confirmed that direct peer-to-peer transactions between individuals will no longer be permitted from 1 July 2027.