According to CoinMeta, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law establishing a comprehensive framework for cryptocurrency regulation. The law prohibits the use of digital currencies as a means of domestic payment but allows their use in international trade to circumvent Western sanctions. Enterprise-level crypto miners and intermediaries are required to register with the relevant authorities within the next few months. The law came into effect on September 1, 2026, and full compliance must be achieved by July 1, 2027. The new framework categorizes crypto users into retail (non-qualified) and professional (qualified) investors. Retail investors are limited to purchasing up to 300,000 rubles (about $3,750) in cryptocurrencies per year and can only trade highly liquid cryptocurrencies through licensed intermediaries. Professional investors, on the other hand, are not subject to any limits on the amount of investment or types of digital assets they can hold. The digital assets of all investors are considered legal property and are protected by law. All crypto service providers must register with the central bank by July 1, 2027. Any individual or entity that completes two or more crypto transactions totaling over 3.5 million rubles (about $43,700) per month will be regarded as engaging in business activities.