Russia Registers Sberbank and VTB for Digital-Asset Services

The Bank of Russia has registered Sberbank and VTB as digital depositories, establishing a regulated framework for bank-linked cryptocurrency services in Russia.

The regulator admitted five digital depositories and four cryptocurrency-exchange operators on Oct. 6. VTB was included in both registers, while Sberbank was added to the depository register.

Digital depositories may maintain digital-currency records, transfer assets and provide access to the addresses used to identify holdings. The registrations authorize those infrastructure functions but do not mean every customer can immediately buy or hold Bitcoin through a banking app.

Russia’s digital-asset framework took effect Sept. 1 under Federal Law No. 282-FZ. The registered firms have until Sept. 1, 2027, to complete compliance with the law.

For nonqualified investors, the current rules identify Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Tether (USDT) as eligible assets. Purchases are capped at 300,000 rubles annually through one intermediary.