The Bank of Russia is rolling out new rules to clamp down on how much banks can get involved with crypto and foreign digital assets. The regulator is setting clear risk limits and beefing up capital requirements for these positions.

1% Total Risk Cap

Under the new guidelines, a bank’s total exposure to crypto and foreign digital assets can’t top 1% of its capital. This covers the combined risk across all related transactions.

What’s Covered by the Cap

The 1% cap isn’t just for direct crypto buys. It also applies to derivatives, loans, bonds, and any other products whose value or payouts are tied to digital asset prices.

Risk Weight and Reporting

For bank investments in crypto, the Bank of Russia is setting a risk weight of 1250%. That means banks will need to hold a ton more capital for these positions. The new reporting requirements kick in starting January 2027.