Russia’s Sberbank Explores Crypto-Collateral Lending as Regulatory Deadline Looms

Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, is advancing plans to introduce crypto-secured lending services, signaling a strategic expansion into digital assets ahead of the country’s mid-2026 regulatory deadline. Deputy Chairman Anatoly Popov emphasized the bank’s readiness to collaborate with regulators on infrastructure development, potentially broadening Russia’s crypto ecosystem beyond trading into collateralized finance.

The MOVE builds on Sberbank’s existing digital asset initiatives, which have already facilitated over 160 tokenized issues this year—spanning real estate, commodities, and oil-linked products. Popov struck an optimistic tone, though implementation hinges on regulatory clarity in a framework still in its infancy.

Parallel developments see Moscow Exchange and St. Petersburg Exchange preparing for regulated crypto trading, with both confirming technical readiness for the 2026 deadline. The exchanges’ December announcements followed the Bank of Russia’s release of a comprehensive regulatory roadmap, underscoring institutional momentum toward crypto integration.