Russia’s central bank finalized rules allowing exchanges to offer Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Tether USDt (USDT) to retail investors starting Nov. 17, according to Cointelegraph’s report published Nov. 7, 2026, at 02:47:45 UTC+8.
The framework expands access through regulated intermediaries while restricting activity outside those channels. It does not remove Russia’s prohibition on using cryptocurrency to pay for goods and services.
Purchase limits and mandatory testing
Non-qualified investors will be allowed to buy up to 300,000 rubles—around $3,700—in cryptocurrency annually through each intermediary. Those intermediaries include brokers, asset managers and crypto exchange providers.
Qualified investors face no purchase limits. However, all investors must pass a mandatory test before trading.
The Bank of Russia’s draft regulations identified BTC, ETH and USDT as eligible for public trading based on market capitalization, average daily trading volume and at least five years of price history on foreign exchanges.
The regulatory rollout
The finalized rules follow several steps outlined in the report:
- Aug. 4: President Vladimir Putin signed legislation establishing a regulated cryptocurrency market under central bank oversight.
- Aug. 11: The Bank of Russia published its draft regulations.
- Sept. 1: The law took effect.
- October: The central bank authorized Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, to offer crypto exchange services.
Separately, Moscow Exchange—Russia’s largest securities exchange and a publicly traded company—was preparing to launch cryptocurrency trading on Dec. 1, initially offering the three cryptocurrencies through pilot transactions. That planned launch is distinct from the Nov. 17 start date under the central bank’s rules.
Regulated access, tighter transfer restrictions
According to the Bank of Russia, transfers from regulated digital accounts to self-custody wallets were already banned at the time of the report. Direct peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading will also be prohibited starting July 1, 2027.
The documented change is therefore an expansion of permitted access within a controlled framework—not unrestricted crypto adoption. The report establishes access rules and planned launch dates, but does not establish their effect on trading demand or cryptocurrency prices.
Original source: Cointelegraph — Russia finalizes crypto trading rules ahead of Nov. 17 rollout.
