The Central Bank of Russia has declined to raise the limit on cryptocurrency purchases., 2026/04/16 17:57:59

The previously announced annual limit of 300,000 rubles for purchasing cryptocurrencies by non-professional investors through a single broker or exchange will not be increased, stated Vladimir Chistyukhin, the first deputy chairman of the Bank of Russia.

According to the Central Bank representative, the regulator views the involvement of so-called unqualified investors in cryptocurrency purchases as a highly risky endeavor. The Central Bank believes that small individual investors should carefully assess all risks before investing in crypto assets.

Vladimir Chistyukhin mentioned that the Central Bank’s decision to allow non-professionals to buy cryptocurrencies is not intended for investment purposes, but rather to enable them to make transfers abroad. This is necessary “in light of restrictions on traditional banking operations,” with cryptocurrency serving as an alternative payment method.

Previously, Chistyukhin announced plans to introduce a provision in legislation that would allow the Central Bank to modify the list of cryptocurrencies available for purchase by non-professional investors at its discretion.

A package of bills aimed at restricting the free circulation of cryptocurrencies in Russia was submitted to the State Duma on April 1. Amendments were deemed excessively stringent by the State Duma’s committee on competition protection and the Association of Russian Banks. One of the key points of contention was the prohibition on transferring cryptocurrency purchased in Russia to non-custodial wallets (which grant owners full control over their funds, without the possibility of banks/exchanges/governments influencing that access). The Central Bank is firmly opposed to this.