Moscow Exchange Sets Dec. 1 Crypto Trading Start
Moscow Exchange plans Dec. 1 trading in bitcoin, ether and USDT through its clearing system, with retail buyers subject to a 300,000-ruble annual cap.
About Crypto Newsroom2 min read
300,000 rubles is the annual purchase limit for non-qualified investors on Moscow Exchange’s planned crypto market, which is due to start Dec. 1. Buyers in that category must first pass a test, and the cap applies through one broker, according to the exchange’s launch announcement.
The initial lineup will include bitcoin, ether and Tether’s USDT. The exchange says pilot trades will begin as participants connect, with deals handled through its existing stock-market technology and included in the National Clearing Centre’s unified clearing system.
How will trades be settled?
Clients will be able to choose same-day or next-day settlement, as well as swaps for managing liquidity. The exchange says crypto trading hours will match its stock-market schedule, from 06:50 to 23:50 Moscow time.
Unified clearing means the National Clearing Centre processes trades between buyers and sellers. The exchange has not named the participants expected in the initial pilot stage.
What does the sanctions status mean for USDT?
Moscow Exchange and its clearing house are under U.S. sanctions, according to CoinDesk’s report, which says the U.S. Treasury blocked them in June 2024. USDT is issued by Tether, which freezes wallets on the Treasury’s sanctions list.
That creates an open question about how Tether’s wallet-freezing policy would apply to USDT held through the exchange’s clearing house. CoinDesk said it had requested comment from Tether; neither the exchange’s announcement nor the report described a resolution.
What happens next?
The launch is planned under Russia’s Law No. 282-FZ on digital currencies and digital rights. The exchange says the law’s main provisions took effect on Sept. 1, 2026, with some rules due to take effect in July and September 2027.
Watch for the pilot trades and participant connections ahead of Dec. 1, when the exchange plans to begin client trading.
Sources and documents
- exchange’s launch announcement — moex.com
- CoinDesk’s report — coindesk.com