The Bank of Russia has finalized the list of cryptoassets that non-qualified investors can purchase, allowing exchanges to list Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT for public trading from Nov. 17, 2026. The central bank announced the directive on Nov. 6, 2026, according to a statement.
Under the rules, non-qualified investors can buy the listed assets through brokers, asset managers, or crypto exchangers, on exchanges, or over the counter. Purchases are capped at 300,000 rubles annually through each intermediary, and investors must complete a test before transacting.
Purchase limit calculation
The directive defines the limit as the ruble sum of acquisition costs for digital currencies already bought and being bought through that broker during the calendar year. Both completed purchases and orders under consideration enter the sum, so earlier purchases through the same broker remain part of the calculation when a new order is assessed.
Testing requirement
Before transacting, investors must undergo testing and familiarize themselves with crypto investment risks regardless of whether they hold qualified status. Qualified investors can access any cryptoassets without the non-qualified investor asset-list and purchase-limit restrictions, but testing and risk familiarization still apply.
Asset selection criteria
The central bank said it selected liquid assets using market capitalization, average daily trading volume, and a foreign-market pricing history of at least five years. Those criteria explain the restricted list available through the non-qualified investor route.
Moscow Exchange plans December start
In a Nov. 2 release, Moscow Exchange said it plans to make digital currency transactions available from Dec. 1, 2026. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT will form the initial instrument list, with pilot trades first and participants joining gradually as they become ready. The exchange plans to use its stock-market technology and include the transactions in National Clearing Centre clearing.
The final asset rules address a separate part of the market's opening. The intermediary-entry procedure that took effect Oct. 5 did not finalize retail asset eligibility. Nov. 17 marks the legal effectiveness of the asset list, while Moscow Exchange's planned December start illustrates the separate timetable for bringing the permitted assets to customers.
