Sberbank Added to Russia’s Crypto Exchange Register

The Bank of Russia has added Sberbank to its register of cryptocurrency exchange organizations, allowing the lender to take part in regulated crypto exchange activity as it prepares customer products planned for December 1, 2026. Sberbank had already joined the regulator’s separate register of digital depositories earlier in October. The two registrations cover different functions: exchange organizations may buy and sell digital currencies in their own name and with their own funds, while digital depositories record ownership and handle transfers. Sberbank and VTB are reported to be listed in both registers. Sberbank plans to introduce its first crypto products through existing customer platforms, including SberBank Online, SberInvestments and SberBusiness, rather than a separate app. The bank has said the initial assets will include Bitcoin, Ether and Tether’s USDT. The December date is a planned launch, not a confirmation that the products are already available. The exchange register’s reported size changed as firms were added. A report on October 12 counted nine organizations, while one on October 14 counted ten after further additions.