Russian Crypto Regulations: What’s Legal, Banned, and Changing in 2025

When it comes to Russian crypto regulations, the set of laws and policies governing cryptocurrency use, trading, and mining within Russia. Also known as crypto laws in Russia, it’s not a simple yes-or-no story—there are gray zones, hidden exceptions, and sudden policy flips. Unlike countries that fully ban crypto or embrace it openly, Russia walks a tightrope. The government lets individuals hold and trade digital assets but blocks banks from touching them. That means you can buy Bitcoin on a foreign exchange, but you can’t use your Sberbank card to pay for it.

This split mindset affects everything. Crypto mining Russia, the practice of validating blockchain transactions using hardware powered by Russian electricity. Also known as Russian Bitcoin mining, it’s one of the few crypto activities the state quietly tolerates. Why? Because Russia has cheap power, especially in Siberia, and mining turns surplus energy into hard currency—dollars and euros—that bypasses Western financial systems. The government doesn’t license miners, but it doesn’t shut them down either. Meanwhile, crypto tax Russia, how the Russian Federal Tax Service treats profits from digital asset sales. Also known as crypto income tax Russia, it’s a mess. There’s no official rate, no clear reporting system, and no enforcement—yet. But the Central Bank of Russia keeps pushing for stricter controls, and new draft laws suggest a 13% tax on crypto gains could be coming soon.

And then there’s the Central Bank of Russia, the nation’s monetary authority that has repeatedly warned against crypto while secretly testing its own digital currency. Also known as CBR, it’s the real power behind the scenes. It doesn’t want Bitcoin replacing the ruble, but it does want a state-controlled digital ruble—called the digital rouble—to track every transaction. That’s why crypto exchanges are blocked, why wallets are monitored, and why you can’t legally use crypto to pay for goods. The goal isn’t to eliminate crypto—it’s to control it.

What you’ll find below aren’t opinions or rumors. These are real cases: miners operating in remote towns, traders caught in tax audits, and tokens that vanished after Russian regulators cracked down. Some posts show how people skirt the rules. Others warn what happens when you don’t. There’s no sugarcoating—Russian crypto isn’t outlawed, but it’s not safe either. If you’re holding, trading, or mining crypto in Russia, you’re playing by rules that change without notice. This collection gives you the facts before the next policy drop hits.