Russia's State Duma Passes Landmark Crypto Bill, Opening $240B Trade Corridor to Bitcoin and Ethereum!

Russia's State Duma cleared the first reading of a sweeping crypto regulation bill that formally legalizes digital assets for international trade settlements — a direct legislative answer to SWIFT exclusions and Western sanctions. The framework, built on a Central Bank of Russia regulatory concept published in late December 2025, covers an estimated $240 billion in trade volume that has faced payment friction since major Russian banks were cut off from global infrastructure.

The asset eligibility rules are deliberately narrow: only cryptocurrencies with a market cap above 5 trillion rubles ($66.6 billion USD) and a five-year verified trading history qualify, making Bitcoin and Ethereum the de facto first approvals. Non-qualified retail investors face a 300,000 ruble (~$3,800 USD) annual purchase cap through any single licensed intermediary; qualified investors face no ceiling. Licensed…