The Central Bank of Russia outlined a framework to classify cryptocurrencies and stablecoins as currency assets and to widen investor access. Retail participants would face testing and a 300,000 rubles annually limit via one intermediary, while qualified investors could buy most tokens except anonymous coins. Draft laws are targeted by July 1, 2026, with additional liability rules by July 2027.

In the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), regional authorities are considering building cryptocurrency mining farms at the Ulugurskoye and Ergedzheyskoye gas fields operated by Ulugurneftegaz, a joint venture of Alrosa and Sakhatransneftegaz. The plan seeks to use large local gas reserves to power coin minting facilities, as Russia promotes relocating miners to remote northern regions with surplus energy and colder climates to ease pressure on grids in other areas.

On December 20, 2025, Bank of Russia governor Elvira Nabiullina said cryptocurrency mining is among the factors supporting the ruble’s strength. She noted the sector’s gray-market share makes its impact hard to measure. The ruble was a little over 80 per U.S. dollar, after rising above 110 in January and touching around 76 earlier in December.

Russia’s executive authorities plan to start making budget payments in the digital ruble from 2025, including public sector salaries, pensions, and social transfers. The Ministry of Finance outlined that these transactions, based on recent legal amendments, will be voluntary for recipients and precede a full-scale CBDC rollout planned for the second half of 2026. The Bank of Russia and the Federal Treasury are coordinating integration of the digital ruble into the federal budget process, with free transfers between individuals and low merchant fees already announced.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said Wednesday that the FBI disrupted E-Note, a cryptocurrency cashout service allegedly used by cybercriminals. Prosecutors unsealed an indictment against Russian national Mykhalio Petrovich Chudnovets, who faces up to 20 years in prison, after investigators identified more than $70,000,000 in illicit proceeds moved through the platform.

According to Delovoy Peterburg this week, St. Petersburg‑based Rozetki SPb filed a patent for an EV charging station with a built‑in crypto mining module. The company estimates mining could cover 7,200 rubles while 300 kWh of monthly charging costs about 2,600 rubles at 6.2 rubles per kWh, though experts cited by RBC note public network tariffs can reach 18–19 rubles per kWh.

Federal authorities in Russia intend to extend an existing multi-region ban on crypto mining to the southern areas of Buryatia and Transbaikal starting next year, replacing their current seasonal restrictions. The move follows a winter halt in these territories and earlier bans in parts of Irkutsk, as officials seek to ease power shortages linked to both legal and illegal mining operations.

On December 13, 2025, Invest in Latvia reported that nearly 130 fintech companies in the country generate close to €400 million in yearly turnover and pay more than €91 million in taxes while employing over 3,600 people. At the same time, Latvia’s central bank confirmed that BlockBen and Nexdesk have received the nation’s first MiCA licenses, as officials move to position Latvia as a key European entry point for regulated crypto and Web3 businesses.

On December 12, 2025, Belarus reinstated access to major cryptocurrency exchanges including Bybit, Bitget, BingX and OKX after briefly blocking their websites over what authorities described as inappropriate advertising. The move allows local users to reach their accounts again without relying on VPNs, while officials indicated that access would be restored once alleged violations were removed and reaffirmed the country's broader push for a regulated digital asset framework.