Russia officially registers its first crypto operators while U.S. clarity stalls.
The Bank of Russia added five firms to the digital depository register and four to the crypto exchange register under rules that took effect on September 1.
Sberbank is listed as a new custodian and VTB Bank appears in both registers.
President Vladimir Putin signed the law in August, creating a framework for exchanges, custodians, brokers and investors, with the central bank overseeing the crypto market.
Crypto still cannot be used for payments, and approved firms must comply with transaction rules and fully align with the legislation by September 1, 2027.
Sberbank plans to launch its first crypto products on December 1, supporting Bitcoin, Ether and USDT.
Hardware wallet sales surged: M.Video reported a 107% rise in unit sales in Q2 versus Q1 and a 92% increase in sales value; Wildberries saw an 84% unit increase and a 60% rise in sales value in H1 2026 versus last year.
Which market do you think will set the global standard for crypto regulation, Russia or the United States?
#Crypto #FinTech #Regulation #DigitalAssets