USDT and USDC in Russia from September 1: who will get access and how it will work

Russia is taking a step towards the legalization of stablecoins. The State Duma Committee on Financial Markets has prepared for the second reading of the bill «On digital currencies and digital rights» amendments that open access to USDT and USDC through Russian regulated infrastructure. The date of entry into force — September 1, 2026.

Important nuance: USDT and USDC may not fall under the Russian definition of digital currency at all. Since the issuers — Tether Limited and Circle — undertake to maintain the value of tokens and their redemption, the regulator classifies them as foreign digital rights. For this, two new concepts have appeared in the bill: «foreign digital instrument» and «non-deliverable foreign digital instrument».

On USDT and USDC account for about 89% of the global stablecoin market — and that's why the Bank of Russia pays special attention to them in its report «Stablecoins: directions of development in Russia», published in June. The regulator especially notes their role in cross-border settlements: a transfer in USDT takes seconds, while a bank transfer via SWIFT can stretch for five days. Kommersant

At the start, qualified investors will get access to stablecoins through regulated platforms. Tokens can be purchased through licensed market participants from the Central Bank registry — brokers, trust managers and digital currency exchange operators. For unqualified investors, the basic list of assets is wider: Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and USDC, however, additional protective mechanisms may be introduced for dollar stablecoins — limits and commissions. This is due to the fact that issuers operate in the Western legal system, and therefore, there is theoretically a risk of freezing the funds of Russian users.

For the crypto industry, this is a significant signal: Russia is moving towards transparent regulation, integrating the most demanded digital assets into the legal system. Users get legal and protected access to tools that have long become the standard in international settlements.

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