Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, has set a firm deadline to launch its own crypto trading infrastructure: no later than Dec. 1, 2026. The rollout of this domestic system comes just as Western nations ramp up efforts to cut off foreign platforms accused of helping Moscow navigate financial restrictions.
At the core of Sberbank’s new infrastructure is a digital depository facility designed to record all client crypto holdings. The bank will also go a step further by operating an active wallet service, enabling clients to deposit, withdraw, and transfer assets.
The system’s primary functions were highlighted directly by a top Sberbank executive. “One of the key elements of this new infrastructure is the digital depository,” said Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of Sberbank. He explained that the depository platform will record clients’ crypto rights and log the majority of transactions outside the main blockchain.
Liquidity Requirements That Filter the Market
Sberbank’s preparations run in tandem with legislative developments in the Russian parliament, which recently passed the final reading of its digital assets bill. Once the regulation takes effect on Sept. 1, 2026, Russian law will divide regulated market participants into five official categories: crypto exchanges, brokers, asset managers, custodians, and exchange service providers.
Under this new regulatory framework, the Bank of Russia holds broad authority. The central bank has the absolute right to determine which cryptocurrencies may be offered to the public through licensed intermediaries. The liquidity criteria are exceptionally strict: each coin must maintain an average market capitalization exceeding 5 trillion rubles (around $64 billion).
The asset must also sustain a daily trading volume above 1 trillion rubles ($12.8 billion) over a two-year span. This threshold effectively locks out thousands of altcoin projects, leaving room only for top-tier market-cap cryptocurrencies.
Why Is the West Blacklisting HTX?
While Moscow’s infrastructure is under construction, external pressure continues to target Russia’s remaining liquidity routes. Alongside Russia’s moves to regulate its domestic market, the European Union imposed fresh sanctions on HTX - the crypto exchange formerly known as Huobi Global. HTX was added to a list of 18 entities accused of facilitating the circumvention of financial restrictions against Russia.
The EU’s action follows similar sanctions previously imposed by the UK. In May, British authorities penalized HTX, citing reasonable grounds to suspect that the crypto exchange was supporting Russian government operations.
The string of sanctions against HTX reinforces why Moscow is accelerating the development of domestic exchanges and depositories. As long as its financial channels depend on offshore platforms, the risk of cutoffs remains ever-present. Through Sberbank’s involvement, Russia is striving to build its own crypto fortress - moving financial flows onshore under the direct supervision of the central bank.
Reported by Cointelegraph.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
