The Central Bank of Russia restricts market brokers from holding more than 25% of their total capital in cryptocurrency assets

According to Bitcoin.com, the Central Bank of Russia has released a draft regulation requiring professional market participants such as brokers, trust institutions, forex traders, and cryptocurrency exchanges to include cryptocurrency holdings when calculating their own capital, and the proportion of cryptocurrency assets must not exceed 25% of total capital. Holdings must be registered with a cryptocurrency custodian for national verification of their authenticity.

The Central Bank of Russia stated that this measure aims to assess credit and market risks, ensuring the financial resilience of intermediaries in cryptocurrency transactions. This draft is a continuation of the process of legalizing cryptocurrency assets in Russia, providing investors with a reference to assess the financial status of licensed institutions. Previously, the State Duma approved comprehensive cryptocurrency regulatory legislation, allowing both qualified and unqualified investors to trade cryptocurrency assets, but the latter has an annual purchase limit of 300,000 rubles (approximately $3,800). The use of cryptocurrency as a means of payment is still prohibited domestically, while importers and exporters can use it without restrictions in cross-border settlements.