Crypto: Bank of Russia opens bitcoin, ether and USDT to individuals

Moscow loosens crypto lock. Friday, November 6, the Bank of Russia published the list of cryptocurrencies accessible to individuals in the country: bitcoin, ether and USDT, and nothing else. The same day, Bhutan opened the reserves of its future central bank to cryptos. Central banks no longer look at cryptocurrencies from afar.

The key points of this article:

The Bank of Russia allows bitcoin, ether and USDT for individuals from November 17.

Unqualified people go through an approved intermediary, up to a limit of 300,000 rubles per year per intermediary.

A knowledge test remains mandatory before investing, regardless of the status of the investor.

Qualified investors retain access to all cryptocurrencies, without any ceiling.

What will Russian individuals be able to buy?

The decision targets “non-qualified investors”, a term which designates an individual without special financial status, validated experience or minimum assets.

From Tuesday, November 17, 2026, Russian stock exchanges will be able to admit these three assets to public listing, reports Finam.

The regulator's text simply gives them the right to use it, without ordering them to open this door to their customers.

The purchase must be made by an approved professional, whether a broker, an asset manager or an exchange, both on the stock market and on the over-the-counter market.

On the over-the-counter market, which operates without official listing, the saver deals directly with a professional, at a price negotiated between the two parties.

Concretely, he will be able to buy bitcoin through an approved professional, just as he goes through a broker for stocks.

The system remains capped, since an unqualified investor will only be able to commit 300,000 rubles per year via each approved intermediary.

The limit is per professional, not per person. Multiplying brokers therefore amounts, on paper, to multiplying the ceilings. For example, an investor registered with two approved brokers theoretically has two separate envelopes.

USDT completes the picture alongside bitcoin and ether. The Tether stablecoin, holder of 150,000 bitcoins, is the only line on the list whose price remains stuck to the dollar.

Behind the opening, a strict framework

The regulator is not giving up on investor training. Before any first transaction, everyone must pass a knowledge test and confirm that they are aware of the risks.

No exceptions by the way. The test applies to all profiles, including qualified investors.

“Qualified investors” keep the key to the fields. Recognized for their experience or their heritage, these profiles will be able to trade any cryptoasset, with no limit on amount.

However, the opening remains narrow for ordinary savers. The list is in three lines, and each has its condition.