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Russia Duma passes crypto bill as retail cap and Sberbank rollout take shape

Russia Duma passes crypto bill as retail cap and Sberbank rollout take shape

Bill No. 1194918-8 would classify crypto as property, allow cross-border trade use, cap non-qualified investors at 300,000 rubles, while Sberbank targets Dec. 1 trading, custody and active wallet infrastructure.

Fact Check
The core claim is strongly corroborated. CoinDesk (July 25) confirms Sberbank plans crypto trading infrastructure by December 2026, with regulations effective Sept 1, 2026 and intermediary licensing from July 2027. Crowdfund Insider confirms the Duma bill 'On Digital Currency and Digital Rights' recognizing crypto as property, preserving the domestic payment ban, allowing cross-border settlements via licensed intermediaries, with transition through July 2027. OSW analysis independently confirms the framework's structure and cross-border/sanctions purpose. Multiple sources confirm Sberbank's December 1 custody target. The only minor ambiguity is the precise legislative status (first reading vs. final passage) — Crowdfund Insider described a reading requiring further approval — but the substantive framework and Sberbank plans are well-established across independent sources.
Summary

Russia’s State Duma passed Bill No. 1194918-8 on July 21, 2026, sending a crypto framework to President Putin that would classify cryptocurrency as property, allow its use in cross-border trade, preserve the ban on domestic crypto payments, and keep the ruble as Russia’s only legal tender. Most provisions are due to take effect on Sept. 1, 2026, with licensed-intermediary requirements beginning in July 2027. The bill would limit non-qualified investors to annual crypto purchases of 300,000 rubles, about $3,800, while qualified investors would be allowed to buy up to 10 times that amount, according to Bank of Russia Governor Elvira Nabiullina. Separately, Sberbank plans to launch crypto trading and custody infrastructure, including a digital depository, digital-asset custodians and active crypto wallets, by Dec. 1.

Terms & Concepts
  • Bank of Russia: Russia’s central bank and the planned supervisor of the country’s regulated crypto market.
  • qualified investors: Investors allowed broader market access and higher purchase limits under Russia’s proposed crypto rules.
  • digital depository: A platform that records ownership and custody rights for digital assets, including off-chain transaction records.