The Central Bank of Russia will allow funds to invest in crypto derivatives from 2026

The Bank of Russia has announced that starting in 2026, management companies will be able to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives. This information was announced by Olga Shishlyannikova, Director of the Central Bank's Investment Financial Intermediaries Department, at the Ural Conference "Russian Stock Market 2025". Currently, investment funds are prohibited from trading in such financial instruments, which requires a change in the regulatory act.

Source RBC

The central bank plans to make the necessary changes in the first quarter of next year, lifting the ban on funds. These changes will become possible after the previously imposed restrictions on other professional market participants who have already received the right to invest in crypto derivatives are lifted. This decision will be an important step in the development of the cryptocurrency spectrum for professional investors in Russia.

In 2025, the Central Bank also introduced new rules that allow brokers to offer crypto-associated financial instruments to qualified investors. In the future, it is planned that companies that want to work with cryptocurrencies will have to meet certain regulatory requirements, taking into account the possible risks arising from these assets.