Russian Crypto Regulations: What's Legal, Banned, and Changing in 2025

When it comes to Russian crypto regulations, the legal framework governing cryptocurrency use, trading, and taxation within Russia. Also known as crypto laws in Russia, it's not a simple ban or free-for-all—it's a messy middle ground where the government tries to control crypto without fully rejecting it. Unlike countries that outright ban crypto, Russia lets people hold and trade digital assets—but only if they follow strict rules. The Central Bank of Russia, the nation's primary financial authority responsible for monetary policy and financial oversight has been pushing hard to limit crypto’s role in the economy, calling it a threat to financial stability. Meanwhile, the state is quietly building its own digital currency: the digital ruble, a state-issued central bank digital currency (CBDC) designed to replace cash and control digital payments.

Russian crypto regulations don’t outlaw owning Bitcoin or Ethereum, but they make it hard to use them like money. You can’t pay for coffee with Bitcoin at a store in Moscow—businesses are banned from accepting crypto as payment. The crypto tax Russia, the system requiring individuals to report and pay taxes on crypto gains is also strict: if you sell crypto for profit, you owe 13% income tax. No exemptions, no loopholes. The tax authority has been cracking down on unreported trades, and banks are required to flag suspicious crypto transfers. Even mining is regulated—large operations need licenses, and small miners are stuck in legal gray zones.

The real story isn’t just about bans or taxes. It’s about control. Russia wants to keep crypto out of its financial system but still benefit from the technology behind it. That’s why the digital ruble is being tested in pilot programs across dozens of cities. It’s not decentralized. It’s not anonymous. It’s fully trackable by the state. And that’s exactly the point. While Western countries debate whether crypto is money or property, Russia has already decided: crypto is a risk to be contained, and the digital ruble is the tool to replace it.

What you’ll find in the posts below are real examples of how these rules play out: how traders navigate the system, how exchanges shut down or move operations, and how everyday users get caught in the crossfire. No theory. No hype. Just what’s actually happening on the ground in Russia’s crypto landscape.