Sberbank receives approval to trade Bitcoin and crypto, plans December 2026 launch

Sberbank, the largest lender in Russia, has received approval from the country’s central bank to begin trading cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin , in advance of its expected market launch this December. The Bank of Russia’s most recent update to its official registry, published Tuesday, now lists 10 authorized cryptocurrency exchange operators and six licensed digital custodians. These figures are up from four operators and five custodians in the previous week, signaling accelerated regulatory activity in the sector. Among the institutions granted approval are notable financial players including Sberbank and VTB, as well as nonbank companies such as T-Invest Lab and Atomyze.