TL;DR
- Russia approved a Finance Ministry tokenization concept, coordinated with the central bank, to digitize real economy ownership and boost liquidity.
- Phase one pilots tokenize property and intellectual property rights without mandatory state registration, then broaden to documentary securities and LLC shares.
- Parallel crypto rules target July 1, 2026 legislation, widen access via licensed exchanges, cap retail buys under $4,000 yearly, and face EU scrutiny over A7A5 and the digital ruble.
Russia’s government has approved a new Concept for tokenizing assets in the real sector, laying policy rails for digitizing ownership claims. Officials are pitching tokenization as a liquidity upgrade that broadens access for smaller investors. The Finance Ministry said the plan was drafted with the Central Bank of Russia and other federal executive bodies, and that implementation is underway. The ministry argues distributed ledger technology can reduce costs, lower entry barriers, and strengthen secured loan portfolios.
Russia’s Tokenization Blueprint Moves From Policy to Pilots
At the first stage, authorities plan pilot projects that tokenize ownership rights to various types of property, plus exclusive rights to intellectual property. The near term rollout is designed to test the plumbing while keeping administrative friction low. The ministry noted that transactions linked to these pilots are not subject to mandatory state registration, which could speed issuance and transfer. In parallel, officials say the approach supports digital innovation through active use of distributed ledger technology.
After pilots, Moscow intends to widen the scope to documentary securities and shares in the authorized capital of limited liability companies. The stated end state is a modern, competitive system that diversifies instruments and unlocks new investment channels. Regulators say tokenization should increase asset liquidity and enable more customized investment strategies for all investors. They also expect the shift to raise the investment attractiveness of real economy assets by reducing overall costs and lowering entry thresholds.
Minfin argues blockchain can replace financial intermediaries, cut transaction costs, and automate orders and investment decisions with less human intervention. In Moscow’s narrative, automation is a risk control lever as much as a productivity gain. The announcement also pointed to rising worldwide appetite for tokenized assets. Bits.media reported recently that the global market for tokenized goods grew 53% in just a few weeks this year, topping $6.1 billion, with tokenized gold highlighted as a key driver.
Alongside tokenization, Russia is drafting comprehensive crypto rules for 2026 after the central bank published an excerpt in late 2025 that would treat cryptocurrencies and stablecoins as “currency assets” and route trading through licensed exchanges. Access would widen beyond today’s experimental regime, but in staged tiers capped under $4,000 yearly. Lawmakers aim for legislation by July 1, 2026, with most rules later in 2026 and 2027, as EU sanctions target A7A5 flows and the digital ruble.
