Russia Sets Rules for Crypto, Opens Path Around Sanctions

Russia’s parliament has approved a new law that will be the country’s first official rules for digital money. The bill says crypto is property, so it can be used in court cases like bankruptcies and divorces. People who are not professional traders can only buy up to 300, 000 rubles a year. Professionals have no limit. The law keeps the ruble as the only legal payment money inside Russia, but it lets companies use crypto to pay foreign partners. This can help them avoid some sanctions that block normal bank transfers.The Central Bank will license anyone who wants to trade or sell crypto under the new rules. The law should start on July 1, 2026, after more votes and the president’s approval. Russia has stopped people from paying with crypto since 2020, but it has allowed owning it. Now the new law gives a legal way to do cross‑border crypto trades while still banning domestic payments. The change could give Russian firms a shortcut to trade abroad, bypassing Western banks that have cut ties after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The bill is the most detailed attempt yet to regulate digital money in Russia, trying to mix crypto use with strong state control over the economy.