Russia crypto regulation moved a step closer to taking effect on August 11, 2026, when the Bank of Russia published a draft directive naming Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether’s USDT as the only cryptocurrencies non-qualified retail investors will be allowed to buy under the country’s new digital asset law.
President Vladimir Putin signed that law, Federal Law No. 282-FZ, on August 4, setting a 300,000-ruble, roughly $3,630, annual purchase cap per broker. The signed law left one question open, which currencies would qualify, and this draft is the central bank’s first answer.
The 300,000 Ruble Cap and the Three-Asset Whitelist
The ruble ceiling itself is already law. Federal Law No. 282-FZ, signed by Putin on August 4 after the State Duma passed it on July 21, caps what non-qualified investors can buy through any single broker, exchange, or manager at 300,000 rubles a year. Qualified investors face no such ceiling.
What the law didn’t specify was which currencies count. The Bank of Russia addressed that in a statement posted August 11, opening for public discussion a draft directive (in Russian) naming Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT as the only assets meeting its liquidity and track-record thresholds: two years of qualifying market cap and trading volume data, plus five years of price history on a licensed foreign exchange.
The August 24 Deadline Before This Becomes Final
The Bank of Russia is accepting comments on the draft through August 24, 2026, addressed to its consumer protection service, before any final version moves forward. The directive takes effect 10 days after official publication once finalized, putting the whitelist on track to land close to September 1, 2026, when the core provisions of Federal Law No. 282-FZ take hold.
Whether the list grows beyond Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT depends on which other tokens can show two years of qualifying trading volume and five years of price history on a licensed foreign exchange.
What this means for you: If you’re a retail crypto buyer inside Russia, the 300,000-ruble annual cap is already law, and this draft would lock in the coin list to match it: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT only, through any one licensed broker. You would also need to pass a Bank of Russia risk test before your first trade, no matter how small.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Do your own research before making any investment decisions.
