Russian crypto-market registration procedures take effect

Bank of Russia procedures governing admission of covered crypto-market operators took effect on October 5, 2026. The rules addressed entry into the regulator's register for institutions including exchanges and digital depositories.

Registration determines which intermediaries can operate within a supervised market structure. For Bitcoin access, the relevant change was institutional: trading and custody businesses faced a defined admission process rather than merely a future legislative framework. The procedures covered a broader cryptocurrency market, not Bitcoin alone.

The October effective date was distinct from the Bank's September explanation of the requirements and from earlier policy decisions. Bringing registration procedures into force did not establish that every applicant had been admitted, that every proposed service had launched, or that Russian users had unrestricted access to cryptocurrency transactions. It created the operational route through which covered businesses would seek recognition.