Crypto news

Russian retail investors will soon be able to buy digital assets directly through bank mobile apps, bypassing gray market exchangers. This scenario is no longer a hypothesis, but a matter of time. However, experts disagree on the details: in what format this will happen, when it will launch, and whether banks can completely displace the illegal market.

What awaits the retail investor

The most conservative forecast was voiced by Yaroslav Kabakov, Director of Strategy at IC "Finam". In his opinion, access through banking apps will appear, but primarily in the form of DFA (Digital Financial Assets). Direct purchase of cryptocurrencies remains in question due to strict regulation and stringent compliance requirements.

Roman Nosov from "BCS World of Investments" joined the discussion. He recommends waiting for the final version of the cryptocurrency bill, an initiative put forward by the Bank of Russia. They expect the document to be adopted in the second reading by the end of July.

A similar position is held by Fedor Ivanov, Director of Analytics at AML/KYT operator "SHARD". He is convinced that retail investors will definitely gain long-awaited access to digital assets, based on the current version of the document from the State Duma website.

Two types of users: beginners and pros

The most detailed forecast was presented by Alexander Nam from MTS Fintech, dividing Russian retail clients into two categories: beginners and experienced investors.

For novice users, simplicity, trust, and security are critically important. Banking services will become an ideal guide for them into the world of digital currencies. They won't have to figure out crypto wallets and seed phrases on their own. In this segment, banks have a huge advantage due to their broad audience, well-known brand, and familiar interface.

On the other hand, experienced traders prefer to work directly with exchanges and DeFi protocols. For this group, key factors remain favorable exchange rates, high liquidity, and minimal fees. For this reason, banks are unlikely to successfully compete for such clients if access to international platforms is available.

• Beginners need security, a convenient bank interface, and the absence of complex cryptographic keys.
• Experienced players value anonymity, minimal costs, and access to global liquidity pools.

Who is closer to launch

According to Alexander Nam, all market participants have equal starting opportunities. However, large banking organizations with developed brokerage infrastructure will be able to scale their business significantly faster. The main obstacle for them so far remains the lack of deep expertise in blockchain technologies.

Fedor Ivanov agrees with this opinion. He noted that almost all of the country's largest financial institutions have already announced plans to implement cryptocurrency services. After clear rules of the game emerge, small regional banks will also join the trend. For them, this will be an excellent opportunity to offer a new service and generate additional income. Currently, the sector's development is held back solely by regulatory risks.

The gray market of exchangers

Banks will be able to significantly reduce the share of the shadow sector, believes Yaroslav Kabakov. However, they will not be able to completely eliminate gray exchange points.

Alexander Nam shares this point of view. The positions of illegal players will noticeably weaken in the mass segment, provided that convenient and profitable banking products appear. At the same time, the professional audience will continue to choose anonymity and access to global liquidity pools.

Fedor Ivanov reminds of the legal consequences of the reform. After the law comes into effect, the activities of unlicensed points will become criminally and administratively punishable. The document provides for the issuance of special licenses. For this reason, large exchangers will be able to legalize, although they will have to compete with banks.

Conclusions

All experts unanimously agree that retail access to digital assets through banks will become a reality immediately after the adoption of the cryptocurrency bill. Roman Nosov expects significant progress by the end of July.

At the same time, Yaroslav Kabakov believes that the focus will be primarily on DFA, rather than classic cryptocurrency. Alexander Nam, in turn, emphasizes the importance of segmentation: banks will easily replace exchangers for beginners but will lose the battle for professionals.

The speakers assess existing barriers differently. In particular, Yaroslav Kabakov and Fedor Ivanov highlight regulatory risks, while Alexander Nam points to a shortage of specialized personnel.

Regarding the future of the gray market, opinions fully coincide. Thus, banks will push out illegal exchangers in the mass segment but will not eliminate them completely.

Analyst's opinion: The integration of cryptocurrencies into banking apps is an inevitable and logical step in the evolution of the financial system. However, the key factor for success will be not so much the legislative framework, but the ability of banks to offer competitive conditions for advanced users. Without this, the gray zone will persist, and banks risk remaining merely "gateways" for beginners, missing out on the most profitable audience.