The legal framework for the cryptocurrency market in Russia will enter a critical phase on July 21. The State Duma is expected to consider the bill titled “Digital Currency and Digital Rights” in the second and third reading. The text, numbered 1194918 8 in official records, brings together the rules regarding cryptocurrency trading, investor access and foreign transactions under a single roof.
Voting schedule and scope of the bill
Chairman of the State Duma Financial Markets Committee Anatoly Aksakov announced that both final readings will be held on July 21. Aksakov is among the leading figures of work in the field of financial markets in the State Duma. The bill is still in the evaluation process before voting.
Anatoly Aksakov said that the second and third readings will be held on July 21, and that the regulation aims to create legal conditions for the operation of cryptocurrencies in the country.
The bill regulates transactions to be carried out through licensed exchanges, brokerage firms and other authorized service providers. The Central Bank of Russia is also expected to supervise licensed companies. This structure aims to shift transactions from unlicensed channels to regulated platforms.
Limit for individual investors, wider scope for companies
According to the text, non-qualified investors will be able to receive cryptocurrencies in the amount of a maximum of 300 thousand rubles per year. This limit corresponds to approximately $3,800 and will be applied through a single regulated intermediary. A separate upper limit is also foreseen for transfers abroad for the same investor group. Accordingly, the annual transfer limit will be 100 thousand rubles.
Higher thresholds are set for qualified investors. Investors in this group will be able to purchase cryptocurrencies worth a maximum of 3 million rubles per year. The international transfer limit will increase to 1 million rubles. The bill considers investment transactions and cross-border transfers as two separate activities.
| investor group | Annual crypto purchase limit | Annual international transfer limit |
|---|---|---|
| unqualified investor | 300 thousand rubles | 100 thousand rubles |
| qualified investor | 3 million rubles | 1 million rubles |
Cryptocurrency use comes to the fore in cross-border trade
A more flexible approach to foreign trade transactions draws attention in the bill. Companies are clearly allowed to use digital assets in cross-border trade and payment transactions within the framework of legal regulations. For this reason, exporting and importing companies are expected to have a wider range of action compared to individual investors.
Russia had previously allowed the use of cryptocurrencies in international payments under an experimental model. Some selected companies can use digital assets in their foreign trade operations. Authorities continue to test this model before a permanent regulation comes into force.
The bill distinguishes between company activities and individual investment and imposes more limited restrictions on foreign trade participants.
Effective date and recent changes
The bill passed its first reading in April. Some changes were made to the text during the process, and the provision regarding the disclosure of wallet addresses was removed from the draft in July. Thus, the regulation gathered investment limits, license conditions and payment usage in a simpler framework.
The main provisions of the regulation are expected to come into force on September 1, 2026. However, the approval process must be completed for this date to be finalized. The positive result of the vote in the State Duma does not alone mean that the law will come into force immediately.
According to the estimates shared by the Russian Ministry of Finance in February, the daily cryptocurrency transaction volume within the country reached approximately 50 billion rubles. This amount corresponds to approximately 640 million dollars. Authorities assess that most of the transactions take place through unregistered channels.
