Russia to Launch Government-Backed Crypto Exchange for Elite Investors

In Brief:

Central Bank and Finance Ministry to open a regulated crypto exchange for “super-qualified” investors.

Move aims to legalize crypto activity and support Russia’s strategy to navigate sanctions.

Russia’s Central Bank and Ministry of Finance have announced plans to launch a state-controlled cryptocurrency exchange. The initiative, reported by local media and confirmed by Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, is designed to regulate and legitimize crypto activity within the country—initially targeting only “super-qualified” investors.

These investors must hold at least 100 million rubles (approx. $1.2 million) in assets or earn 50 million rubles ($600,000) annually. The exchange will operate under Russia’s experimental legal regime for digital assets and is expected to roll out later this year.

“This is not about allowing general public participation,” said Siluanov. “We’re bringing current crypto activity out of the shadows and into a legal framework—but limited to high-net-worth participants for now.”

The launch follows a wave of foreign crypto firm exits and asset freezes in Russia, including Garantex and Deribit, due to escalating U.S. and EU sanctions. In response, Russia is pushing forward with broader crypto integration, including potential issuance of a ruble-backed stablecoin.

At the BRICS Summit, Russia promoted crypto as a tool to sidestep global financial restrictions. The centralized exchange is part of a longer-term plan to test and build a fully regulated digital asset ecosystem, with derivative access potentially opening to retail traders later under stricter conditions.

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