Moscow Exchange to Launch Direct Crypto Trading in December

The exchange will utilize its existing securities trading platform to facilitate these transactions, operating on a daily schedule from 6:50 a.m. to 11:50 p.m. Moscow time. To manage liquidity, the platform will support swap transactions, mirroring the mechanics currently used in traditional currency and repurchase markets. While the exchange provides the venue, custody services will be managed by partner digital depositories, including institutions linked to major banks like Sberbank and VTB.

Retail access remains subject to specific regulatory guardrails. Nonqualified investors must complete a mandatory knowledge assessment, with annual purchase volumes capped at 300,000 rubles per intermediary. Qualified investors face no such ceilings. These measures align with the broader legislative framework that took effect in Russia on September 1, which formalizes trading and custody rules for digital assets. Several professional market participants have already begun testing the system, and the exchange maintains that its existing license is sufficient to cover these new operations without further regulatory authorization.