Russia caps retail crypto purchases at 300,000 rubles

• Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing regulated cryptocurrency trading from September 1, 2026.
• Nonqualified investors face a 300,000-ruble yearly purchase cap through each intermediary after passing a suitability test.
• Qualified investors can trade without purchase limits, while domestic cryptocurrency payments remain banned.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a crypto law allowing regulated trading through approved intermediaries from September 1.

Nonqualified investors can buy selected liquid cryptocurrencies after testing, with a 300,000-ruble annual limit through each intermediary.

Qualified investors must also pass testing but can buy and sell any cryptocurrency without an amount limit.

Crypto exchanges must hold at least 15 million rubles in equity and join an approved self-regulatory organisation.

The law keeps Russia's ban on using cryptocurrency for domestic payments for goods and services.

However, Russian businesses can use cryptocurrency for foreign trade settlements without transaction limits under specified exceptions.

Existing crypto exchanges can operate without registration until July 1, 2027, while regulators finalise the new framework.