The country's largest bank, accustomed to controlling flows of rubles, now intends to take control of bitcoin flows as well. Sberbank plans to launch an infrastructure for cryptocurrency trading and a digital depository by December 1, 2026. This is not just a technical step – it is a signal that the state has finally decided to move the shadow market into official channels.
The new law "On Digital Currencies and Digital Rights," adopted by the State Duma on July 21, 2026, creates this legal framework. The main provisions will come into force on September 1, 2026, and will allow trading, storage, and settlements through licensed intermediaries. From July 1, 2027, all cryptocurrency transactions must be conducted only through regulated organizations and banks. Sberbank is already demonstrating its readiness: since 2025, it has been offering qualified investors structured bonds and digital financial assets linked to bitcoin and ether, and in December 2025, it completed a pilot project on lending against cryptocurrency collateral for the mining company Intelion Data. Now the bank is building a full-fledged depository that will record ownership rights primarily off-chain, but will maintain active wallets for deposits and withdrawals.
Restrictions on opening trading are strict and designed to protect non-qualified investors. Public trading will only be open for cryptocurrencies with huge liquidity: the average capitalization over two calendar years must exceed 5 trillion rubles and the average daily trading volume must be over a trillion rubles. This de facto means that only bitcoin and ether will be available on Russian exchanges. Qualified investors will have access to a wider range of assets, while ordinary citizens will only be able to buy cryptocurrency after passing a test, with a maximum of 300,000 rubles per year through one intermediary. Paying with crypto for goods and services within the country remains prohibited. Russia is legalizing mining and experimental settlements on foreign trade contracts but is keeping the exit from the regulated circuit.
There is a clear double interest behind this. The state wants to see who holds digital assets and how much, and to direct these flows through controlled channels – this ensures control over financial flows and prevents the use of crypto as a parallel currency. Banks gain a new niche and commission income, expanding investment products for clients. Citizens get formal protection instead of the risk of losing everything on unlicensed platforms, but in exchange for transparency.
For the average person, this means that soon it will be possible to buy bitcoin through the familiar bank application, but with strict limits and full state visibility. Money that previously went into the shadow economy will now be tracked by the regulator. Psychologically, this reduces the fear of asset loss but increases the feeling that every move is recorded and controlled.
Sberbank, like other major players – Alfa-Bank, VTB, Moscow Exchange – follows the logic: it's better to be inside the system and profit from it than to stay outside. Historically, banks have always found ways to monetize new forms of money – from bills of exchange to plastic cards and electronic payments. Crypto is no exception here.
Ultimately, Russians will have to choose between the convenience of a regulated market and the feeling of freedom. The new infrastructure promises security through licensing, but access to it remains limited for the majority. Most likely, this will be the first stage of deeper integration of cryptocurrencies into the Russian financial system.
