Russia Sets Three Coin Limit for Retail Investors Under New Crypto Law

Highlights:

• Russia will allow retail investors to trade only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT under its new crypto framework.
• Russian retail investors will face a 300,000-ruble annual crypto investment limit and a mandatory knowledge test.
• Domestic stablecoins could become the first new digital assets added after the initial rollout.

Russia will allow retail investors to purchase only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT after its digital currency law takes effect on July 1, 2026. Deputy Governor Vladimir Chistyukhin confirmed the three-asset retail crypto list during an interview with RBC Radio this week. The measure forms part of Russia’s proposed law “On Digital Currency and Digital Rights,” which lawmakers continue to review. Russian lawmakers approved the first reading of the bill in April before sending it for further consideration.

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Russian Central Bank: Non-Qualified Investors May Be Limited to Trading BTC, ETH and USDT

Russian Central Bank First Deputy Governor Vladimir Chistyukhin said the central bank plans to limit crypto assets available to non-professional and non-qualified investors to BTC, ETH and… pic.twitter.com/BhFQHKoNx8

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) June 6, 2026

Chistyukhin said the Central Bank of Russia considered adding more cryptocurrencies before lawmakers prepared for the bill’s next reading. However, the Central Bank of Russia later decided to offer only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT to retail investors. He said the Central Bank of Russia will not add more cryptocurrencies during the first stage of the law’s implementation.

The framework applies different cryptocurrency access rules to professional investors and non-qualified retail investors in Russia. Russian regulators believe a limited rollout will help them monitor trading activity and reduce investor exposure to cryptocurrency risks.

Russia Retail Investors Face Strict Limits and Eligibility Rules

The Central Bank of Russia continues to classify cryptocurrency as a high-risk investment because of volatility and market uncertainty. Chistyukhin said cryptocurrency prices can fluctuate sharply and expose investors to significant financial losses. He also warned that stablecoin issuers can freeze tokens or restrict access to investor funds.

Regulators cited Tether’s freezing of $27 million in USDT linked to Garantex as an example of those risks. The incident strengthened concerns about the potential restrictions that foreign stablecoin issuers can impose on token holders.

Russian authorities plan to maintain a 300,000-ruble annual cryptocurrency investment limit for retail investors. Under the proposed framework, non-qualified investors can purchase digital assets worth up to 300,000 rubles annually. Chistyukhin said the 300,000-ruble limit already exceeds the average balance held in many Russian brokerage accounts. Therefore, the Central Bank of Russia does not plan to increase the annual investment limit.

The proposed legislation requires cryptocurrency investors to meet additional eligibility requirements before trading. Every investor must pass a mandatory knowledge test before purchasing cryptocurrencies through licensed Russian platforms. Russian authorities also plan to prohibit unlicensed cryptocurrency lending services starting next year.

The proposed law sets strict market size, liquidity, and operating history requirements for cryptocurrencies seeking approval. Eligible cryptocurrencies must maintain an average market capitalization above 5 trillion rubles during the previous two years. Eligible cryptocurrencies must also record average daily trading volumes above 1 trillion rubles during that period.

Domestic Stablecoins Remain the Main Candidate for Future Expansion

Chistyukhin said future additions for retail traders will likely focus on non-dollar stablecoins that are linked to Russia instead of foreign cryptocurrencies. He explained that Russian regulators want domestic digital payment tokens to compete equally with foreign-issued stablecoins. He added that Russian regulators will consider expanding the list only after more domestic stablecoin projects enter the market.

Discussion about future additions has centered on A7A5, a ruble-linked stablecoin used within Russia’s digital payment ecosystem. A7A5 has become the largest non-dollar stablecoin associated with Russian-linked settlement activity. According to CertiK, A7A5 has processed more than $110 billion in transactions since its launch in early last year.

🇷🇺 RUSSIA’S STABLECOIN BUILT FOR SANCTIONS TO BECOME PERMANENT

A7A5, a Russia-linked ruble stablecoin built to move money around banking restrictions, says it can remain competitive even if US sanctions are lifted.

Its argument is that businesses will still use it for faster… pic.twitter.com/jSQdj8UMU5

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) May 17, 2026

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