Russia’s central bank finalized rules allowing exchanges to offer Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Tether USDt (USDT) to retail investors starting Nov. 17, according to Cointelegraph’s report published Nov. 7, 2026.
The framework expands access through regulated intermediaries while restricting transactions outside those channels.
Purchase limits and testing
Non-qualified investors will be able to buy up to 300,000 rubles, approximately $3,700, in cryptocurrency annually through each intermediary, including brokers, asset managers and crypto exchange providers. Qualified investors will face no purchase limits, but all investors must pass a mandatory test before trading.
The directive follows legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 4 establishing a regulated cryptocurrency market under central bank oversight. On Aug. 11, the Bank of Russia published draft regulations identifying BTC, ETH and USDT as eligible for public trading based on market capitalization, average daily trading volume and at least five years of price history on foreign exchanges.
The law took effect Sept. 1. In October, the central bank authorized Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, to offer crypto exchange services.
Moscow Exchange plans a separate December launch
Moscow Exchange, Russia’s largest securities exchange and a publicly traded company, was preparing to launch cryptocurrency trading on Dec. 1, initially offering the same three cryptocurrencies through pilot transactions.
That planned launch is separate from the Nov. 17 start date under the central bank’s finalized rules.
Regulated access comes with transfer restrictions
Direct peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading will be prohibited starting July 1, 2027. According to the Bank of Russia, transfers from regulated digital accounts to self-custody wallets were already banned at the time of the report. Russia also maintains a prohibition on using cryptocurrency to pay for goods and services.
For Bitcoin, the reported change provides a regulated route for retail purchases, but not unrestricted access: investor testing, purchase caps for non-qualified investors and limits on transfers remain central features of the framework.
Original source: Cointelegraph, published Nov. 7, 2026, at 02:47:45 UTC+08:00. This article reflects that reporting date and its stated implementation schedule.