Crypto28 August, 20262 min read
Sberbank Plans Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT-Backed Loans After Russia’s Crypto Rules
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Sberbank will accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT as loan collateral. New Russian crypto rules take effect September 1, 2026.
9 outlets told this the same way.
Sberbank expands crypto collateral
Sberbank plans to expand its crypto-backed lending by accepting Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether’s USDT as collateral, Deputy Chairman Anatoly Popov told TASS on Aug. 28.
Popov said the bank would add ETH and USDT only after the Bank of Russia permits their public circulation, and that the expansion would begin only “after the Central Bank, of course, allows them for public circulation.”
The plan is tied to Russia’s new crypto market framework, which takes effect September 1, 2026, under formal central bank supervision.
Sberbank also completed a Bitcoin-backed loan pilot with Russian mining company Intelion Data during December 2025, using mined cryptocurrency pledged as collateral.
Popov said the bank would only add ETH and USDT after regulatory approval arrives, and that Sberbank has not announced a launch date, loan terms, or eligible customer groups.
Rules, limits, and access
Under the Bank of Russia framework taking effect Sept. 1, 2026, both qualified and non-qualified investors will be able to conduct crypto transactions through approved intermediaries, but retail access remains restricted.
Non-qualified investors must pass a knowledge test and may then purchase up to 300,000 rubles in eligible cryptocurrencies annually through each intermediary, while qualified investors must also pass testing but can access a wider group of assets without the same monetary limit.
The framework does not legalize cryptocurrency as a domestic payment method, and payments for goods and services in Russia remain prohibited.
Exporters and importers may use cryptocurrency for cross-border settlements under the applicable rules, while foreign stablecoins will generally face the same requirements as other cryptocurrencies.
Sberbank said it will adapt its existing products once every part of the new framework becomes effective, but the statement does not mean customers can immediately pledge ETH or USDT.
Custody plans and what’s at risk
Sberbank is preparing infrastructure for regulated cryptocurrency trading and custody, aiming to launch a digital depository by Dec. 1, 2026 to record customer ownership, manage wallets, and support deposits, withdrawals and settlements.
The bank has not yet confirmed which cryptocurrencies the platform will support or disclosed its fees and withdrawal limits, and it has not announced any integration with decentralized lending platforms.
The Bank of Russia must complete supporting standards covering eligible assets, custody, accounting and customer protection, and those rules will determine whether Sberbank can use ETH and USDT as loan collateral.
Market participants have until July 1, 2027, to obtain the necessary licenses and align their operations with the framework, placing Sberbank’s Dec. 1 infrastructure target within that transition period.
Until the regulator approves the assets and Sberbank publishes commercial terms, the expanded collateral offering remains a plan rather than an available product.