Russia’s central bank has finalized rules allowing exchanges to offer Bitcoin, Ether and Tether USDt to retail investors starting Nov. 17. Non-qualified investors may buy up to 300,000 rubles (about $3,700) in cryptocurrency each year through each intermediary. Qualified investors have no purchase limit, but all investors must pass a test before trading.
According to the Bank of Russia, direct peer-to-peer crypto trading will be prohibited from July 1, 2027, and transfers from regulated digital accounts to self-custody wallets are already banned. Cryptocurrency also cannot be used to pay for goods and services. Moscow Exchange plans to begin pilot trading in the three cryptocurrencies on Dec. 1.
