Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the country's first comprehensive organic law governing digital currencies on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, state news agency Tass reported, as covered by Decrypt. The legislation creates a unified regulatory framework for crypto exchanges, digital depositories, brokers, clearing houses and mining, all supervised by the Central Bank of Russia.
Only organizations listed in a special government registry will be permitted to operate crypto exchanges. Existing operators have a grace period to register by July 1, 2027. Registered exchanges must maintain a minimum capital of 15 million rubles, equivalent to approximately 187,000 US dollars, and join a self-regulatory body in the financial market, Decrypt reported.
Retail access is capped and gated. Non-accredited investors may purchase the most liquid cryptocurrencies through licensed intermediaries, with an annual limit of 300,000 rubles per intermediary. Both retail and qualified investors must pass a knowledge test. Qualified investors face no purchase limit, according to Decrypt.
