Russia Plans to Block Foreign Crypto Exchanges by Summer

Russia targets foreign crypto platforms this summer

Russia plans to block access to foreign cryptocurrency exchange websites by summer 2026. Cryptocurrency exchanges are online platforms where users buy, sell, and trade digital assets. The plan targets platforms not registered under Russian law. Industry experts cited by the Russian news agency Interfax confirmed the timeline. The move would force Russian traders onto domestically licensed platforms only.

July 1 deadline set for domestic legal framework

The Bank of Russia — the country's central bank — set a July 1, 2026 deadline for a full domestic crypto legal framework. The bank published its conceptual framework in December 2025. The framework defines which entities can offer crypto services inside Russia. Operators must register with Russian authorities before that date to continue serving local users legally.

Moscow Exchange chair cites $15 billion annual outflow

Sergey Shvetsov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Moscow Exchange — Russia's primary securities market — stated that Russian traders pay approximately $15 billion in annual commissions to foreign exchanges. No independent audit of this figure exists across available sources. Moscow Exchange is the institution that would directly benefit if foreign competitors lose access to Russian users.

"Russian traders pay around $15 billion in commissions annually to global exchanges, and local platforms aim to compete for this market.", February 2026. — Sergey Shvetsov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Moscow Exchange

Retail investors face annual purchase cap

Under the proposed rules, non-professional investors — called retail investors — face a purchase limit of 300,000 rubles per year at any single intermediary. The Bank of Russia published this limit as part of the same regulatory framework. Professional investors with certified status face no equivalent cap under the current proposal.