Russia’s Finance Ministry is preparing to lower entry barriers for individual participation in the country’s supervised crypto trading pilot, according to comments from Financial Policy Director Alexey Yakovlev at the Eastern Economic Forum.
Currently, only wealthy “superqualified” investors can participate in the experimental legal regime (ELR), which launched in March to oversee organized crypto trading. Yakovlev said blocking ordinary citizens undercuts the program’s purpose, though he stressed some safeguards would remain.
The initiative is part of Moscow’s broader crypto pivot. Last year, President Vladimir Putin directed regulators to compromise on crypto rules, leading to the current pilot. Russia has since turned to Bitcoin and other tokens for cross-border trade, while also promoting domestic mining using idle energy reserves.
Loosening restrictions could expand adoption and bring retail traders under the government’s regulatory umbrella. If approved, the move would mark a significant shift in Russia’s approach to crypto, balancing consumer access with state oversight.
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