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Russia has finalized draft legislation to allow non-qualified retail investors to trade cryptocurrencies, with the bill expected to be considered during the spring 2026 parliamentary session, according to State Duma Financial Markets Committee Chairman Anatoly Aksakov in a January 13, 2026, interview with Russia-24.
BREAKING: RUSSIA IS PREPARING A NEW LAW TO LET ORDINARY PEOPLE LEGALLY BUY BITCOIN & CRYPTO!
NON-QUALIFIED INVESTORS CAN BUY UP TO 300,000 RUBLES (~$3,800) IN CRYPTO
PROFESSIONALS? NO LIMIT AT ALL!
THIS IS REAL — DRAFT BILL FINALIZED, FULL LAW COMING BY JULY 2026!
RUSSIA… pic.twitter.com/Kcg5Fyl2xZ
— Crypto News Hunters 🎯 (@CryptoNewsHntrs) January 14, 2026
Aksakov stated: “A bill has already been prepared that removes cryptocurrencies from special financial regulation, meaning they will become commonplace in our lives.” The proposal would lift Russia’s current ban on crypto trading for non-qualified individuals, though retail access would remain capped at 300,000 rubles ($3,800) annually. Professional investors, however, will face no such limits.
The bill also aims to enable international crypto usage, including cross-border settlements and overseas placement of Russian-issued tokens. It follows earlier proposals from the Bank of Russia and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, indicating a coordinated shift toward regulated domestic crypto participation.
The move comes after Russia legalized crypto mining in 2024 and allowed international crypto payments in 2025, while maintaining strict domestic trading restrictions. Aksakov’s comments indicate a pragmatic pivot to harness crypto for economic activity amid Western sanctions, though privacy coins and anonymous transactions are expected to remain prohibited.
In December 2025, the Bank of Russia proposed a framework that would permit non-qualified retail investors to trade digital assets, conditional on passing a mandatory risk-awareness test, while preserving the existing prohibition on anonymous and privacy-focused cryptocurrencies..
JUST IN: 🇷🇺 Bank of Russia considers allowing unqualified investors to purchase crypto.
— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) December 23, 2025
While a welcome development, the move comes across as pragmatic, like an attempt to perform a delicate balancing act. It will see the government receive economic benefits from crypto assets, whilst maintaining its grip and limiting systemic risks. The low retail threshold and continued ban on privacy coins signal that this is not liberalization but regulated inclusion, designed to funnel participation through licensed channels under state oversight.
Aksakov’s framing of crypto becoming “commonplace” leans towards an intent to normalize usage for sanctioned-economy needs, yet the strict limits and prohibitions ensure the state retains visibility and veto power over meaningful flows.
Compared to more open jurisdictions like the UAE or Singapore, Russia’s approach prioritizes containment over innovation, inviting questions about whether it will attract real adoption or merely formalize existing gray-market activity. It remains to be seen whether regulatory pragmatism can stand side-by-side with geopolitical isolation.
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