Russia Crypto Legalization 2026: What the State Duma Passed

What happened

On 21 July 2026, Russia’s State Duma passed in the third reading the law “On Digital Currencies and Digital Rights”. It builds a full regulatory framework for crypto: licensed intermediaries, organized trading, clearing, and digital depositories — under Bank of Russia supervision.

This is not a green light to pay for groceries with Bitcoin. It is a legal perimeter for an investment and market infrastructure.

Key rules

• Crypto is recognized as property with court protection.
• Paying for goods/services with crypto inside Russia remains banned (narrow exceptions for foreign trade, mining rewards, network fees, and some digital-asset deals).
• Deals must go through licensed intermediaries: trading organizers, brokers, asset managers, crypto exchangers, digital depositories.
• Exchangers must be Russian companies with at least RUB 15m in own funds and registry listing at the Central Bank.

Timeline

• 1 September 2026 — core provisions take effect.
• Until 1 July 2027 — transitional period without mandatory registry listing.
• From 1 July 2027 — crypto deals (with limited exceptions) only via licensed intermediaries.

Impact for Telegram Stars and USDT

Stars are Telegram’s in-app currency; USDT on TON is a crypto asset. Users of Stars→USDT services should watch intermediary licensing and the 2027 deadline, and remember that in-store crypto payments are still not legalized.

Flash Swap automates Stars to USDT on TON. We will keep covering regulatory changes in the blog.

Disclaimer

This article is informational and not legal advice. Rely on official law texts and Bank of Russia guidance after enactment.