Russia's VTB Bank prepares to test spot crypto trading in 2026
VTB — the second largest bank in Russia and currently under Western sanctions — stated that it will test spot crypto trading for a group of wealthy clients in 2026.
The service is only open to qualified investors who meet income or total asset requirements.
Currently, the bank is testing with a group of high-net-worth (HNW) clients.
VTB asserts that the ability to expand to the public remains very low.
🧭 Context: Russia is gradually legalizing digital assets
Russia previously restricted crypto, but after international sanctions, the country has:
- Increased the use of crypto for payments and asset storage,
- Integrated crypto into part of oil trading with China and India,
- And is building a legal framework for banks to be allowed to operate in this area.
The Central Bank of Russia confirms that banks will be licensed to operate crypto under a strict regulatory model
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