Catenaa, Thursday, October 09, 2025-The Russian Central Bank will launch a large-scale audit of the country’s cryptocurrency holdings and transactions in early 2026, officials announced.
The review will cover investments, lending volumes for crypto companies, and individual digital financial products tied to cryptoasset prices, including derivatives traded on the Moscow Exchange.
The central bank said the audit aims to assess regulated entities’ exposure to crypto, including for risk hedging purposes.
Monthly reports on crypto derivative volumes will also be required from banks and exchanges. Authorities said the move reflects growing attention to risks and opportunities in the crypto sector and its impact on the Russian economy.
The initiative comes amid tensions between the central bank and the Finance Ministry. Finance officials are pushing to regulate and tax crypto activities, while the bank has favored restricting digital assets to peripheral economic roles.
Experts say the audit data could guide the creation of formal regulations and potentially generate tax revenue, although current Russian legislation recognizes only registered miners and participants in the bank’s sandbox program.
The sandbox allows limited crypto use in cross-border trade, introduced partly to circumvent Western sanctions.
Analysts say the audit will provide insights into domestic crypto adoption and cross-border activities. Some senior politicians continue to advocate for faster regulation of exchanges and consideration of a strategic national Bitcoin reserve, signaling long-term interest in integrating crypto within Russia’s financial framework.
