VTB received the status of a CFA platform operator: a new step in the evolution of the Russian digital asset market
On June 25, 2026, the Bank of Russia decided to include VTB Bank (PJSC) in the register of information system operators that issue digital financial assets (DFAs). At the same time, the regulator approved the rules of the bank's information system.
This is a landmark event for the Russian digital asset market. VTB, the country's second-largest bank after Sberbank, gains the ability to use its own technical capabilities for DFA issuance. Previously, the state-owned bank placed its digital financial asset issues through the VTB Capital Trading platform. This entity was included in the register of operators in December 2024. The new decision opens the bank's path to its own platform, rather than a separate operator.
Who is already in the register
After VTB's inclusion, the register of information system operators will have 24 participants. As of the regulator's last data upload (June 24), it listed 23 operators, including VTB Capital Trading.
The Central Bank's decision is not just a formality. It confirms the growing maturity of the DFA market and the readiness of the largest financial institutions to independently manage the issuance of digital assets. For VTB, this is a strategic step: its own platform provides full control over the issuance, storage, and circulation of DFAs, as well as the ability to offer clients unique products without intermediaries.
Analytical conclusion: The inclusion of VTB in the DFA operator register is a powerful signal for the market. We are seeing traditional giants of the banking sector not just adapting to the digital economy, but actively shaping its infrastructure. I expect that in the next 12–18 months, we will witness a sharp increase in DFA issuance volumes, especially in the corporate sector, where VTB is traditionally strong. This could become a catalyst for the emergence of new, more complex and liquid digital instruments on the Russian market.