Bank of Russia identifies 1,400 illegal entities in financial market in 1Q
Pourquoi c'est important
The Bank of Russia is actively identifying and combating illegal activities within its financial market. This includes financial pyramids, illegal brokers, and companies that illegally attract investments. The regulator works to block online resources and collaborates with law enforcement.
MOSCOW, May 5. /TASS/. From January to March 2026, the Bank of Russia identified 1,400 illegal entities in the financial market, half of which were pseudo-investment projects, the regulator reported.
"In the first quarter of 2026, 1,400 entities (656 of which are pseudo-investment projects) with signs of illegal activity were identified. Compared to the previous quarter (Q4 2025), the number of identified 'illegal entities' increased slightly - by 9%," the Bank of Russia reported.
As before, according to the regulator, more than 60% are online projects engaged in investment fraud: financial pyramids, illegal brokers and forex dealers, as well as companies that illegally attracted investments.
The regulator notes that in the first quarter, the Bank of Russia helped restrict access to more than 7,400 online resources of illegal financial market operators. This is a 30% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2025. According to the Bank of Russia, most of these resources are identified almost immediately after their creation, and their "mirrors" are simultaneously blocked.
"The regulator forwards information on all identified instances of illegal activity in the financial market to law enforcement agencies. In the first quarter, based on the Bank of Russia's data, more than 150 administrative cases were initiated and more than 200 other measures (claims, advertising measures, etc.) were taken," the Central Bank noted.
Questions ouvertes
- What specific types of pseudo-investment projects were most prevalent?
- What are the estimated financial losses caused by these illegal entities?
- What are the next steps planned by the Bank of Russia to further combat these activities?
- How many individuals were directly affected by these fraudulent schemes?
