Cryptocurrency advertising in Russia from September: new bans and mandatory wording
Starting September 1, 2026, Russian crypto exchanges and digital depositories will gain the right to advertise their services, but only within strict regulatory constraints. The new law introduces a mandatory set of elements for every advertisement, as well as a direct ban on a range of marketing phrases that were previously widespread.
What must be included in advertising
The legislation now requires that every advertising material contain four key elements. First, the name of the entity organizing the circulation of digital currencies must be clearly indicated. Second, the source of information that this entity is legally obligated to provide must be disclosed. Third, a warning about the high-risk nature of digital currencies and the possibility of total loss of funds must be placed. Finally, reference must be made to the restrictions on transactions and operations with digital currencies established by law.
If the exchange is included in the Central Bank's registry, the logic becomes simpler. For example, "Exchange X. Digital currency exchange services. Fee — 0.5%" is an acceptable formulation. Advertising the speed of processing requests, service procedures, service fees, office, or trade execution technology is permitted.
What is prohibited
Phrases like "USDT at the best rate — exchange in two minutes" or promotions such as "BTC without fees until the end of the week" are now illegal. Formally, the exchange is being advertised, but in reality, the object of promotion becomes a specific digital currency. This is precisely what the new Article 29.2 of the law prohibits.
Similar restrictions apply to digital depositories. Services such as "digital accounting," "transfer of digital currencies," or "providing access to identifier addresses" can be advertised, but formulations like "Store Bitcoin with us without risk" or "Best custody for BTC and USDT. Guaranteed safety" are no longer allowed. Such statements create a false impression of the absence of risks and conflict with the mandatory warning.
The key principle is simple: we advertise the infrastructure and service, but we do not sell a specific asset to a person or create an investment promise.
Placement channels
Almost any channel remains available, but with nuances. On your own website, a neutral description of services may be considered reference information. However, a banner, pop-up, or bright call to action automatically moves the material into the advertising category. In the personal account and mobile app, functional information about balances and tickers is the norm, but push notifications like "BTC rose 12% — buy now" are already prohibited.
Email and SMS mailings are only possible with the recipient's prior consent, and the advertiser is obligated to prove its existence. This is especially inconvenient for SMS: a short message must fit both the offer and all mandatory disclosures. Fines for violations in this area for legal entities reach 1 million rubles, and the FAS continues to actively initiate such cases in 2026.
My view: This law is a logical continuation of the course toward regulating the crypto market. For honest participants, it creates clear rules of the game, but marketing departments will have to seriously restructure their creative approaches. Advertising becomes more conservative, which in the long term may reduce the influx of inexperienced retail investors — and that, perhaps, is the regulator's hidden goal.