In Minsk, on 28 September 2026, at a meeting of the Supervisory Board of the High-Tech Park chaired by Prime Minister Alexander Turchin, a decision was made to register the country's first two crypto banks as HTP residents. This is not merely a bureaucratic gesture, but an attempt to embed digital assets into the traditional financial system under state control.
Presidential Decree No. 19, signed in January 2026 and entering into force in July, created the legal foundation for such institutions. Six months were spent preparing the regulations, and now two companies — as yet unnamed, but with experience in the crypto market — have received HTP resident status. The next stage is accreditation with the National Bank and inclusion in a special register. Only after that will they be able to operate fully.
In the Belarusian model, crypto banks combine token custody, fiat operations and transfers of digital assets under one roof. This differs from conventional crypto exchanges or ordinary banks: here the emphasis is on integration and compliance with anti-money-laundering rules. For citizens, this could mean more convenient access to crypto through familiar banking channels, but under state supervision.
The interests of the parties are obvious. The state gains a tool for controlling a growing market and potential tax revenues. Companies benefit from HTP incentives and legitimacy. And for ordinary people, a question arises: are they ready to entrust their savings to a hybrid structure where crypto meets a conventional bank? Trust plays a key role here — without it, even the most carefully devised rules will remain on paper.
Imagine a family that keeps part of its savings in bitcoin and another part in a deposit. In the new format, a crypto bank could offer a single account for both, simplifying management but also increasing dependence on the regulator. It is reminiscent of water in a river: if the channel is narrow and controlled, the flow is predictable, but also constrained.
For now, the launch is expected in the second half of 2026, and much depends on the speed of accreditation. Belarus is thus becoming one of the first states where crypto banks receive official status rather than remaining in a grey zone.
This experiment shows that even under strict regulation, crypto can find a place in the financial system — the only question is how comfortable it will be for an ordinary person.
