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Yes—in the regulatory sense. Sberbank was included in Russia’s first register of digital depositories, a status that allows a depository to record and transfer digital currencies and digital rights and give clients access to the addresses where assets are recorded. That is not confirmation that Sberbank has launched a Bitcoin custody service for customers. Interfax reported a December 1, 2026 target for the bank’s initial crypto products, subject to regulatory decisions and readiness of the relevant rules.
What Russia’s green light means for Sberbank
On October 6, 2026, the Bank of Russia announced that the first registers included five digital depositories and four digital-currency exchange organizations. Interfax reported that Sberbank and VTB were among the registered depositories. The regulator’s description of a depository’s functions includes recording and transferring digital currencies and digital rights, as well as giving clients access to the identifier addresses where assets are recorded. Bank of Russia announcement; Interfax report.
Registration is therefore a regulatory step toward providing custody-related services, not an announcement that Sberbank is already holding customers’ Bitcoin. The two types of registered organization should not be confused: a digital depository records and transfers assets, while a digital-currency exchange organization buys or sells digital currency in its own name and at its own expense outside organized trading. Bank of Russia announcement.
Has Sberbank launched Bitcoin custody?
The cited reporting does not establish that a customer-facing Sberbank crypto product is live. Interfax reported that the bank was targeting December 1, 2026 for its initial crypto products, but said the timing depended on the Central Bank’s decision on Sberbank’s application and the readiness of regulatory acts. That is a conditional target, not a confirmed launch date or proof that a service has opened.
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The available reporting also does not specify whether a first product will support Bitcoin, which customers will qualify, how custody will work, or what fees will apply. Sberbank’s register entry should not be read as confirmation of those product details.
What the wider Russian crypto rules allow
The Bank of Russia said the framework governing cryptocurrency circulation took effect on September 1, 2026. Its July 21 explanation said both non-qualified and qualified investors could transact through intermediaries after passing a test. Non-qualified investors face an annual limit of ₽300,000 through one intermediary; qualified investors must also pass a test but have no amount limit. Bank of Russia explanation of the framework.
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Permission to hold or transact in crypto through a regulated intermediary does not make cryptocurrency legal tender for everyday purchases in Russia. The Bank of Russia said: “It is worth noting that it still will be prohibited to use cryptocurrencies in payments within Russia.” It said exporters and importers could use cryptocurrency for cross-border payments. Bank of Russia explanation of the framework.
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The Bank of Russia said its rules for admission to the registers—including relevant officer qualifications, required documents, the decision process, and register maintenance—took effect on October 5, 2026. Bank of Russia rules announcement.
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Registered participants must follow transaction and accounting rules from the date of registration and bring their operations into conformity with the law by September 1, 2027, according to the regulator’s October 6 announcement. Bank of Russia announcement.
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