Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, has been added to the country’s register of organizations authorized to exchange digital currencies, opening the way for it to offer cryptocurrency services through its existing customer interfaces. The bank is expected to launch bitcoin-related products in December, according to reporting by Bitcoin Magazine.
Sberbank joins authorized exchange operators
The Bank of Russia has placed Sberbank on its register of digital-currency exchange organizations. The state-controlled lender joins eight other entities already listed, including VTB, Russia’s second-largest bank, and T-Invest Lab, a unit of T-Technologies, which also owns online lender T-Bank.
Sberbank had already been added earlier this month to the register of digital depositories. Such depositories record ownership rights connected with cryptocurrencies and other digital rights, while exchanges provide the venue for buying and selling those assets.
The bank said the new status would allow it to organize digital-currency circulation through interfaces that its customers already use. In practical terms, the authorization gives Sberbank a regulated role in both the custody and exchange infrastructure being developed for Russia’s cryptocurrency market.
New framework sets access rules
The authorization comes as Russia implements a broader legal framework for digital currencies and digital rights. A law took effect on September 1, allowing cryptocurrency transactions to be conducted through exchanges, brokers and trustees, as well as crypto exchanges and digital depositories.
Banks and other organizations have been able to apply to the Central Bank of Russia for the relevant licenses since October 5. Some established market participants can use a notification process and receive access to the market within one day.
The rules distinguish between unqualified and qualified investors. Unqualified investors will be able to purchase bitcoin, stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies through one intermediary, subject to an annual limit of 300,000 rubles, or $3,556. Qualified investors will have access to all cryptocurrencies traded on exchange and over-the-counter markets.
A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency designed to maintain a relatively stable value, typically by linking its price to another asset. The rules cited in the report place stablecoins within the assets available to eligible retail buyers under the stated limit.
December launches and market picture
Sberbank announced last month that it was the first bank in Russia approved to provide bitcoin custody. The Bank of Russia’s approval covers “digital currency record-keeping” and the transfer of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Sberbank’s crypto wallet is scheduled to debut in December, the same month that the Moscow Exchange plans to introduce crypto trading.
The timing places the bank’s planned wallet launch alongside a broader expansion of regulated cryptocurrency infrastructure in Russia. The available information does not specify which products beyond the wallet will be introduced or how they will be priced.
Moneyiar market data at 21:44 on October 15, 2026, showed Bitcoin at $82,204.64, up 0.57% over 24 hours and 0.71% over seven days. Aethir was at $0.005955, down 0.47% in 24 hours and 6.2% over seven days. Comedian traded at $0.053286, down 0.05% and 12.59%, respectively, while RedStone stood at $0.157745, up 0.52% over 24 hours and 9.39% over seven days.
