Russian Central Bank to Launch ‘Large-scale Audit of Nation’s Crypto Holdings’

Core Insights - The Russian Central Bank plans to conduct a large-scale audit of the nation's crypto holdings and transactions in early 2026, reflecting its growing attention to the risks and opportunities in the crypto space [1][2][3] Group 1: Audit and Review Plans - The Central Bank will review individual investments in digital financial products tied to cryptoasset prices, likely focusing on crypto derivatives launched on the Moscow Exchange [2][3] - A survey will be conducted over the first two months of 2026 to assess the volume of investments in cryptocurrencies by regulated entities, including for risk hedging purposes [3] Group 2: Regulatory Environment - The Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance have differing views on crypto policy, with the Ministry seeking to regulate and tax the industry while the Bank prefers to restrict crypto's role in the economy [4] - The information from the upcoming survey is expected to help form regulatory policy aimed at legalizing the market to generate tax revenue [5] Group 3: Current Market Dynamics - The Central Bank has ordered the Moscow Exchange and commercial banks offering crypto derivatives to provide monthly reports on transactions and volumes [3] - There are indications that several companies are engaging in direct crypto-powered trade with international partners [7]