Read this article on bsc.news Moscow Exchange plans to open trading in Bitcoin ($BTC), Ether ($ETH) and Tether's $USDT on December 1, creating what it describes as Russia's first organized di
Moscow Exchange plans to open trading in Bitcoin ($BTC), Ether ($ETH) and Tether's $USDT on December 1, creating what it describes as Russia's first organized digital currency market, according to Cointelegraph.
The exchange will run the service on its existing stock market infrastructure, with trades cleared through the National Clearing Center (NCC). Trading hours will be 6:50 a.m. to 11:50 p.m. Moscow time. Same-day and next-day settlement will be available at launch, along with swap transactions, Cointelegraph reported.
Non-qualified investors must pass a test before buying crypto. They are limited to purchases of 300,000 rubles (about $3,700) a year per broker, according to the exchange. The Bank of Russia has said qualified investors must also pass a test but can buy and sell any cryptocurrency without a limit on the amount.
Boris Blokhin, the bourse's senior managing director for sales and business development, said the service would run on the same infrastructure the exchange uses for equities, according to BigGo Finance. The same report said the regulator picked Bitcoin, Ethereum and USDT for retail access using criteria that include trading history, liquidity and market capitalization.
The launch follows a Russian crypto law whose main provisions took effect on September 1. Cointelegraph reported that the law permits regulated trading but keeps the ban on using cryptocurrency to pay for goods and services in Russia. The Bank of Russia has also said the law sets a transition period through July 1, 2027, for market participants to obtain licences and comply with the new requirements.
Sanctions remain a complication. Moscow Exchange and the NCC have been under US sanctions since June 2024, and the European Union added the exchange to its sanctions list in July 2026, Cointelegraph reported. CoinDesk noted that USDT is issued by Tether, which freezes wallets on the US Treasury sanctions list, raising questions about how that policy would apply to USDT held through the clearing house. CoinDesk said it had asked Tether for comment.
One industry executive quoted by Cointelegraph questioned whether there would be meaningful demand for trading on a sanctioned venue.
Sources
Cointelegraph: Moscow Exchange to Launch Bitcoin, Ether and USDT Trading in DecemberCoinDesk: U.S.-Sanctioned Moscow Exchange to List Bitcoin and Tether's USDT in DecemberBank of Russia: Russia Introduces Cryptocurrency RegulationBigGo Finance: Moscow Exchange Sets Dec. 1 Launch for Bitcoin, Ether and USDT Trading
