Confirmed Interfax Oct 12.*$GNS $BAT $Q
Bank of Russia added Sberbank to crypto exchange providers register Oct 12* had already joined *digital depository register Oct 6* as one of first five so now holds *BOTH licences* created under Russia's new digital-currency law effective *Sept 1* reversal from 2022 ban proposal
What licences mean:*
Exchange operator = can *buy/sell crypto in own name at own expense outside organized exchanges*, quote prices directly to clients
Digital depository = records ownership + transfers + address identifiers
Combined = can bundle *trading + custody* in one place — only VTB previously had both among 9 now registered — others: VTB, T-Invest Lab (T-Bank), Zefir, Sistema-Crypto, Professional Bank, RNKO Finpilot, Moy Bitkoin, Khlynov Bank, Paradise Technology
- *Launch:* *Dec 1 via SberBank Online, SberInvestments, SberBusiness* — interfaces clients already use — testing *BTC, ETH, USDT* in app — building crypto wallet since early 2026 — VTB expects Nov retail via VTB My Investments app, exchange Dec
*Rules:* Crypto payments domestically *still banned* — from *July 2027 all trades must go through registered intermediaries* — effectively kills P2P settled via Russian bank accounts — firms must follow tx rules now, full compliance by *Sept 1 2027* US Treasury sanctions still apply to blocked institutions even for crypto
*BREAKING 🏦 Sberbank Oct 12 added to Bank of Russia crypto exchange register — largest bank now holds BOTH exchange + depository licences under Sept 1 law — 9 firms total incl VTB — plans BTC, ETH, USDT Dec 1 launch in SberBank Online — crypto payments still banned, from July 2027 all trades via registered intermediaries — U-turn from 2022 ban proposal ⚡*
Bank of Russia added Sberbank to crypto exchange providers register Oct 12* had already joined *digital depository register Oct 6* as one of first five so now holds *BOTH licences* created under Russia's new digital-currency law effective *Sept 1* reversal from 2022 ban proposal
What licences mean:*
Exchange operator = can *buy/sell crypto in own name at own expense outside organized exchanges*, quote prices directly to clients
Digital depository = records ownership + transfers + address identifiers
Combined = can bundle *trading + custody* in one place — only VTB previously had both among 9 now registered — others: VTB, T-Invest Lab (T-Bank), Zefir, Sistema-Crypto, Professional Bank, RNKO Finpilot, Moy Bitkoin, Khlynov Bank, Paradise Technology
- *Launch:* *Dec 1 via SberBank Online, SberInvestments, SberBusiness* — interfaces clients already use — testing *BTC, ETH, USDT* in app — building crypto wallet since early 2026 — VTB expects Nov retail via VTB My Investments app, exchange Dec
*Rules:* Crypto payments domestically *still banned* — from *July 2027 all trades must go through registered intermediaries* — effectively kills P2P settled via Russian bank accounts — firms must follow tx rules now, full compliance by *Sept 1 2027* US Treasury sanctions still apply to blocked institutions even for crypto
*BREAKING 🏦 Sberbank Oct 12 added to Bank of Russia crypto exchange register — largest bank now holds BOTH exchange + depository licences under Sept 1 law — 9 firms total incl VTB — plans BTC, ETH, USDT Dec 1 launch in SberBank Online — crypto payments still banned, from July 2027 all trades via registered intermediaries — U-turn from 2022 ban proposal ⚡*