Bank of Russia clears Sberbank for crypto trading ahead of planned Dec. 1 launch
In brief
- Sberbank appears among 10 authorized crypto exchange operators in the Bank of Russia register, Cointelegraph reported.
- Register counts rose from four exchange operators and five custodians a week earlier.
- Sberbank plans Bitcoin, Ether and USDt products via existing platforms on Dec. 1, 2026.
- Sberbank said the final timeline depends on additional central bank regulations.
- Russia still prohibits using cryptocurrencies to pay for goods and services.
Register grows to 10 exchange operators
The Bank of Russia's updated register lists 10 authorized crypto exchange operators and six digital custodians, according to Cointelegraph. That's up from four operators and five custodians just a week earlier. The lists include major lenders Sberbank and VTB alongside nonbank companies such as T-Invest Lab and Atomyze.
Sberbank isn't new to the register. It was among the first companies to secure digital custodian status the previous Tuesday, per the report.
The registrations follow Russia's new crypto rules, which entered into force on Sept. 1 and placed exchange operators and custodians under central bank oversight.
What Sberbank has planned
Sberbank previously said it plans to launch crypto products supporting Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Tether's USDt on Dec. 1, 2026. Those products would be offered through the bank's existing SberBank Online, SberInvestments and SberBusiness platforms.
Testing has already started. Russian outlet Vedomosti reported, citing Sberbank's press office, that the bank has begun testing crypto purchases, sales, deposits and withdrawals through its SberBank Online app (Cointelegraph relayed the report).
The launch isn't live yet.
Sberbank said the final launch timeline depends on additional central bank regulations, so Dec. 1 is the bank's stated plan rather than a confirmed go-live date.
Payments are still off the table
The approvals cover trading and custody, not spending. Russia still prohibits using cryptocurrencies to pay for goods and services, according to Cointelegraph, and nothing in Tuesday's register changes that.
What has changed is who's on the list. A week ago the register held four exchange operators; now it holds 10, and the lists include major lenders Sberbank and VTB.
Frequently asked questions
When will Sberbank launch crypto trading?
Sberbank has previously said it plans to launch crypto products on Dec. 1, 2026. The bank said the final launch timeline depends on additional central bank regulations, so the date is a plan rather than a confirmed launch.
Which cryptocurrencies will Sberbank support?
Sberbank has said its planned crypto products will support Bitcoin, Ether and Tether's USDt. They're slated to be offered through its existing SberBank Online, SberInvestments and SberBusiness platforms.
Can Russians pay for goods with crypto under the new rules?
No. Russia still prohibits using cryptocurrencies to pay for goods and services. The new rules, in force since Sept. 1, placed crypto exchange operators and custodians under central bank oversight.
