Crypto advertising in Russia: a strange transition period and new rules of the game from September 1, 2026
The Russian crypto market is entering an unusual phase: starting September 1, 2026, advertising of services for organizing digital currency circulation will be permitted for the first time in two years. However, the ban on promoting the crypto assets themselves remains in force. This creates a paradoxical situation that I have carefully analyzed.
Until recently, the regulator's response was extremely clear: advertising cryptocurrencies and related services is prohibited. Federal Law No. 221-FZ, which came into force on August 19, 2024, introduced a broad ban on promoting digital currencies, goods, works, and services related to their circulation. This also applied to offers made to an unlimited circle of persons. In practice, this meant that one could not write "Buy USDT at a favorable rate" or advertise an exchanger as a place to exchange Bitcoin.
Why the 2024 ban was logical
From a legal standpoint, as noted by Andrey Tugarin, managing partner at GMT Legal, the ban was entirely justified. At that time, Russia had no regulation of cryptocurrency circulation whatsoever. The state effectively prohibited advertising until a legal framework emerged. The example of mining is telling: in August 2024, authorities legalized this activity, but Yandex.Direct immediately banned advertising for mining, exchangers, and blockchain. A strange effect emerged: the state allowed it, but the largest platform prohibited it.
Today, Yandex's rules permit advertising of equipment and cloud resources for mining, but the exchangers themselves and mining as an activity remain prohibited. Meanwhile, the market has not suffered much: in Moscow City, public listings still offer users the purchase and sale of USDT, BTC, ETH, comparing rates.
What changes in September
The situation is changing dramatically. Federal Laws No. 282-FZ and No. 283-FZ of 04.08.2026 have been adopted. The first creates a regulated framework for organizing cryptocurrency circulation, while the second introduces amendments to related laws, including the Advertising Law. Both documents were officially published on August 4, 2026.
From September 1, 2026, the ban on advertising the digital currencies themselves remains in force. One cannot make BTC the "asset of the week," offer to "buy USDT today," or promise growth for a specific coin. However, advertising of services for organizing circulation is now permitted. The state has created a framework: rules and conditions have been defined for obtaining the status of legal exchangers and digital depositories. The new Article 29.2 of the Advertising Law specifically highlights this model.
However, there is a curious nuance. The new advertising conditions take effect on September 1, 2026, but apply only to circulation participants from the Central Bank's registry. The full regime, under which only registry participants will be able to engage in organizing circulation, activates only on July 1, 2027. Exchangers may operate under the old rules until that date, but the new advertising conditions do not apply to them — they are not in the registry, which the Central Bank itself has not yet opened.
The market finds itself in an unusual transitional period. The new rules already exist, but the licensing infrastructure is only being launched. As of August, the Bank of Russia published draft procedures for maintaining the registries. This is not a complete legal vacuum — the law provided transitional mechanisms, but a certain regulatory desynchronization is evident.
My expert view: This situation creates a window of opportunity for those who manage to legalize and enter the Central Bank's registry before their competitors. However, for most exchangers operating in the "gray" zone, a period of uncertainty begins: they will not be able to advertise their services, and competition from legal players will intensify. I recommend closely monitoring the Central Bank's actions and preparing documents for registry entry in advance.