Cryptoadvertising in Russia: new bans and mandatory warnings starting September
Starting September 1, 2026, Russian crypto exchanges and digital depository operators will gain the right to advertise—but with unprecedentedly strict restrictions. This is not just about banning certain phrases, but about a fundamental overhaul of the very concept of promoting digital assets. The focus is on protecting consumers from unreasonable expectations and manipulation.
Four mandatory elements
The legislator imposes four key requirements on advertising crypto services. First, the name of the entity organizing the circulation of digital currencies must be clearly stated. Second, the source of information that this entity is legally obligated to publish must be disclosed. Third, a warning about high risk and the possibility of total loss of funds must be added, with a recommendation to review the risks before completing a transaction. Finally, reference must be made to the legally established restrictions on operations with digital currencies.
What can and cannot be written
Once an exchange is added to the Central Bank's registry, the marketing logic simplifies. For example, exchange X may state: "Exchange X. Digital currency exchange services. Fee—0.5%"—and add the mandatory information. It is permitted to advertise the speed of processing requests, service procedures, service fees, office, app, or transaction execution technology.
However, phrases like "USDT at the best rate—exchange in two minutes" or promotions like "BTC without fees until the end of the week" are prohibited. Formally, they advertise the exchange, but in fact, the object of promotion becomes a specific cryptocurrency. This is exactly what the new Article 29.2 directly prohibits.
The situation is similar for digital depositories. It is permissible to advertise "digital accounting, transfer of digital currencies, and provision of access to identifier addresses" or simply "digital depository services" with the legally required disclosures. But formulations like "Store your Bitcoin with us without risk" or "Best custody for BTC and USDT. Guaranteed safety" are no longer acceptable. In the first case, a specific currency is advertised while creating the illusion of no risk; in the second, specific assets are promoted, and the guarantee of safety directly conflicts with the mandatory risk warning.
The key principle: you cannot name a specific digital currency, guarantee or promise future returns—even based on historical data—or forecast exchange rate changes. We advertise the infrastructure and service, but we do not sell a specific asset to a person or create an investment promise.
Placement channels: from website to SMS
Channels can be almost any, but the rules are the same everywhere. On your own website, a neutral description of services, fees, and operating procedures may be considered reference information rather than advertising. But as soon as a separate banner, pop-up, bright call to action, or special offer appears, the material automatically becomes advertising with all the resulting requirements of Article 29.2.
In the personal account and mobile app, the logic is the same. The user sees a balance, transaction history, available assets, and a specific ticker—this is functional information. But a push notification like "BTC rose 12%—buy now" or a carousel of "top coins of the week" is already prohibited.
Email and SMS mailings are possible, but only with the recipient's prior consent, and the burden of proving such consent lies with the advertiser. For SMS, the model becomes especially inconvenient: a short message must contain not only the offer but also all mandatory disclosures. Fines for legal entities for violating advertising requirements in telecommunications networks reach 300 thousand to 1 million rubles, and the FAS is actively initiating such cases in 2026.
External internet advertising—banners, integrations, paid placements—is also possible, but labeling requirements (erid) are added to the crypto restrictions, and fines reach up to 500 thousand rubles. Outdoor and indoor advertising is not prohibited in itself: you can place the exchange's brand and a message about services, but with the mandatory information. A huge Bitcoin sign in the middle of the screen and a small footnote saying "exchange services" will not save the situation—the object of advertising will still be recognized as a specific digital currency.
My view: These rules finally take the crypto market out of the "gray" zone, but they require a completely different level of legal discipline from participants. The marketing departments of exchanges and depositories will have to rebuild their communications from scratch, shifting the focus from selling an asset to promoting technological infrastructure. This will undoubtedly slow the pace of attracting new audiences, but in the long term it will increase trust in the industry and weed out unscrupulous players.