Russian Exchanges Signal Readiness to Trade Cryptocurrencies

Moscow's financial heavyweights are finally making their move—and it could reshape the entire crypto map.

The Opening Bell

For years, Russia's stance on digital assets has been a study in contradictions. Now, major domestic exchanges are cutting through the regulatory fog, signaling they're ready to flip the switch. This isn't about fringe players; it's about established institutions preparing to onboard millions.

Building the On-Ramps

The infrastructure push is real. These platforms are bypassing years of bureaucratic hesitation by building compliant frameworks from the ground up. Think licensed custody, KYC protocols that would make a Swiss banker nod, and trading engines designed for scale. They're not just dipping a toe—they're constructing bridges.

The Geopolitical Pivot

Timing is everything. As global finance fractures into new blocs, a sanctioned economy finds unique utility in a borderless asset class. This move offers a potential workaround to traditional banking channels, creating a fascinating—and for some, unnerving—test case for crypto's role in national economic strategy.

The Institutional Floodgate

Watch the capital flow. Once these exchanges go live, they unlock a massive pool of institutional and retail capital that's been sidelined. It's the kind of validated, large-scale adoption that fund managers in London and New York have been waiting for—proof that digital assets are becoming unavoidable, even for the world's most regulated economies.

The bottom line? When traditional finance gatekeepers start building the doors themselves, you know the revolution isn't just coming—it's being underwritten. Just don't expect them to admit they're chasing the same volatility they've spent a decade scoffing at.

MOEX and SPB gear up to launch regulated crypto trading

The Moscow Exchange (MOEX) and the St. Petersburg Exchange (SPB) have expressed support for the new regulatory concept for the Russian crypto space released by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR), local media reported.

The two platforms, representing Russia’s biggest stock markets, also confirmed their readiness to begin hosting cryptocurrency trade when the respective rules enter into force next year, their press services announced.

The news comes after Moscow’s monetary authority published the highlights of its latest proposal for comprehensive crypto regulation in the Russian Federation, as reported by Cryptopolitan.

In a statement, quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency on Wednesday, MOEX emphasized:

“The Moscow Exchange is actively working on solutions for servicing the cryptocurrency market and plans to launch their circulation as soon as the relevant regulations are in place.”

MOEX noted it backs the CBR’s ideas and believes solutions that have already proved effective in the financial market WOULD work well to successfully organize the turnover of cryptocurrencies.

“In our opinion, the regulatory concept uses the accumulated experience of conducting operations in the foreign exchange market, where the Moscow Exchange group has unique competencies in trading, clearing, and settlement technologies in an international context,” the exchange said.

The SPB also voiced support for the Bank of Russia’s initiative to create what the exchange described as a transparent and SAFE environment for the circulation of cryptocurrencies in the Russian economy.

The operator of the market stressed it’s prepared to participate in joint work on the development of the relevant infrastructure within the rules of a regulated market, further stating:

“We are ready to start trading cryptocurrencies after the relevant changes are made to the legal framework. The SPB exchange has the appropriate technological infrastructure for trading and settlements.”

Russia set to use existing infrastructure for crypto transactions

The Russian central bank announced its plan to put the country’s crypto space in order after gradually softening its stance on crypto throughout the outgoing year.

The proposals will have to be approved by the federal government and passed by the bicameral parliament in Moscow before they enter into force by July 1, 2026.

The comprehensive framework is supposed to substitute a temporary “experimental legal regime” for crypto operations, which was introduced in March 2025.

The arrangement allowed limited use of cryptocurrencies in foreign trade under sanctions and granted access to crypto to a small group of “highly qualified” investors.

In May, the CBR permitted the offering of crypto-based derivatives to such entities and individuals. MOEX and SPB are among the financial firms facilitating investments in such instruments.

The new concept elaborated by the bank envisages recognizing digital currencies like Bitcoin and stablecoins as “currency assets” and expanding investor access to the country’s strictly controlled coin market.

On Tuesday, the monetary policy regulator made it clear it wants the crypto-related flows to be channeled through Russia’s existing financial infrastructure.

Traditional exchanges, brokers, and other institutions will be able to process such transactions under their current licenses.

However, crypto-specific service providers, like custodians and coin trading venues, will have to meet separate, stringent requirements to obtain authorization.

The most notable proposal is to allow not only qualified, but also non-qualified investors to acquire digital assets, although each of the two categories will face different rules.

For example, the crypto purchases of ordinary Russians will be capped at 300,000 rubles a year, which is less than $4,000 at current exchange rates.

At the same time, qualified investors will be permitted to buy any cryptocurrency, except privacy oriented coins, without a limit on the amount.

Sign up to Bybit and start trading with $30,050 in welcome gifts