Freezing of accounts and transfers related to cryptocurrency has become routine for the Russian market. But behind this lies not the ill will of banks, but the rigid framework of legislation that will change the rules of the game starting September 1, 2026.

Many mistakenly believe that credit institutions are divided into those "friendly" and "hostile" to digital assets. However, in practice, what matters is not preferences but the requirements of Federal Law No. 115-FZ and No. 161-FZ. The bank is obliged to monitor transactions, request documents, and even freeze transfers at the slightest suspicion. Since 2025, Federal Law No. 369-FZ has been added, which threatens banks with financial liability for allowing fraudulent transactions to pass. The result is a paradox: to avoid paying out of their own pockets, banks block hundreds of suspicious transactions rather than investigating each one individually.

What exactly triggers a block?

Cryptocurrency transfers come under fire due to the "triangle"—when the seller of assets receives money on their card from a fraud victim. The main risk markers I see in my practice include:

  • a sharp increase in turnover and frequent transfers from different individuals;
  • splitting of amounts and transit transactions;
  • mismatch of transactions with the client's profile;
  • lack of economic rationale and work through P2P;
  • inability to confirm the source of funds;
  • explicit wording in the payment purpose such as "USDT" or "exchange."

The key takeaway: a bank's "loyalty" is an extremely unstable criterion. Today a transaction goes through, tomorrow the risk model changes, and the client receives a document request or a block. Many banks, as far as I know, refuse service even when notarized statements from brokers are provided, fearing claims from the regulator.

What will change from September 1, 2026

The situation is radically changed by the law "On Digital Currencies," adopted on July 21. From September 1, 2026, cryptocurrency transactions will only be possible through regulated intermediaries: exchanges, brokers, management companies, and exchangers included in the Bank of Russia registry. For non-qualified investors, a limit of about 300,000 rubles per year through one intermediary will be set, and only the most liquid assets—Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT—will be available. After a transition period, until July 1, 2027, banks will be obliged to refuse transactions outside this framework.

Separate requirements will also be imposed on exchangers: activity involving two or more transactions per month exceeding 3.5 million rubles, own capital of at least 15 million, data storage on Russian territory, and an unprecedented norm—the obligation to compensate the client for the value of stolen assets.

Conclusions and strategy

Russian banks have no "crypto-loyalty"—there is only varying depth of anti-money laundering scoring. Blocks will not disappear, but within the legal framework they will become predictable. Gray P2P schemes, on the contrary, will face stricter measures. Major players—Alfa-Bank, T-Bank, VTB, and Sber—have already announced their own crypto services. Therefore, my advice: do not look for a bank that "asks no questions," but build a transparent working model. Keep records of transaction confirmations, do not split amounts, do not accept payments from third parties, and avoid crypto markers in the payment purpose. Until September, it is worth closely monitoring the formation of the Central Bank registry and the emergence of the first licensed services—that is where all the future liquidity of the market will be concentrated.