Russia to classify crypto as monetary assets: pilot Mar 2025, rollout Jul 2026

Russia's central bank has a plan, supported by the Moscow Exchange and the St. Petersburg Exchange, to treat cryptocurrencies as monetary assets. A pilot is slated for March 2025, with full implementation by July 2026. The framework would enable Bitcoin and stablecoin trading for qualified investors, and both exchanges indicate readiness to launch spot markets once rules take effect.