Advertising of crypto services in Russia: new strict rules from September 2026
Starting September 1, 2026, Russian crypto exchanges and digital deposit services will be allowed to advertise, but with significant restrictions. The new legislation introduces strict requirements for wording and a mandatory set of warnings, fundamentally changing the approach to marketing in this sector.
Mandatory elements of advertising
Under the new rules, every advertising material must contain four key elements. First, the full name of the organization providing digital currency circulation services. Second, a link to the source of information that the company is required to disclose by law. Third, a warning about high risks, up to the complete loss of funds, with a recommendation to review them before a transaction. And finally, an indication of the restrictions on digital currency operations established by legislation.
What can and cannot be written
Once included in the Central Bank registry, the logic becomes simpler. For example, an exchange can write: "Exchange X. Digital currency exchange services. Fee — 0.5%" and add the mandatory information. It is allowed to advertise the speed of processing an application, the service procedure, the service fee, the office, the application, or the transaction execution technology.
However, phrases like "USDT at the best rate — exchange in two minutes" or promotions like "BTC without a fee until the end of the week" are prohibited. Such statements effectively advertise a specific cryptocurrency, which is directly banned by the new Article 29.2. Similar restrictions apply to digital depositories: they cannot promise "risk-free Bitcoin storage" or "best custody for BTC and USDT with a safety guarantee."
In advertising services, it is prohibited to name a specific digital currency, guarantee or promise future profitability — even based on historical data — and forecast exchange rate changes. The simple formula is: advertise the infrastructure and service, but do not sell a specific asset or create investment expectations.
Placement channels
The channels can be almost any. On the exchange's own website, a neutral description of services, fees, and operating procedures may be considered reference information. But as soon as a separate banner, pop-up, or special offer appears, the material is automatically recognized as advertising with all the resulting requirements of Article 29.2.
In the personal account and mobile application, a user can see their balance, transaction history, and ticker — this is functional information. However, 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 only allowed with the recipient's prior consent, and the burden of proving its existence falls on the advertiser. This is especially inconvenient for SMS, since a short message must contain both the offer and the mandatory disclosures.
Outdoor and indoor advertising is not prohibited per se, but even a huge Bitcoin sign with a small footnote "exchange services" will not save you — the object of advertising will still be recognized as a specific cryptocurrency. Fines for legal entities for violations in this area reach 500 thousand rubles, and for non-compliance with advertising requirements in telecommunications networks — from 300 thousand to 1 million rubles, and the FAS is actively initiating such cases in 2026.
My comment: This is a landmark step toward a civilized market. Restrictions on promises of profitability and safety guarantees are a long-overdue measure that will protect retail investors from unscrupulous projects. However, businesses will have to significantly restructure their marketing strategies, shifting the focus from promoting assets to demonstrating the quality of service and technology.