Moscow Exchange says it will open cryptocurrency trading on Dec. 1, beginning with bitcoin, ether and USDT on what it describes as Russia’s first organized market for digital currencies. The exchange laid out the plan in a Nov. 2 announcement, linking the launch to the country’s new crypto law that came into force on Sept. 1.
The rollout is set to use the bourse’s existing stock-market systems and the National Clearing Center, while retail participation will be limited under the new framework. The exchange said pilot transactions will come first as institutions and other users complete their preparations.
Launch plan and initial assets
The exchange said trading will start with three assets: bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH) and Tether’s USDT. It described the upcoming opening as the first organized digital currency market in Russia and said support may later be widened to other international cryptocurrencies as well as Russian digital assets.
According to the announcement, the first phase will consist of pilot trades. Moscow Exchange said interest has come from traditional securities market participants, their clients, and companies already using digital assets for investment and payment purposes.
How the market will operate
Crypto trades are due to run through Moscow Exchange’s existing securities infrastructure rather than a separate venue. Transaction processing will be handled through the National Clearing Center, the group’s clearing arm.
The exchange said the market will follow its regular securities timetable, operating from 6:50 a.m. to 11:50 p.m. Moscow time. It also plans to offer trading in both address-based and addressless formats.
Settlement choices will include same-day and next-day execution, referred to as TOD and TOM. Swap transactions will also be available, which the exchange said are intended to help participants manage liquidity.
Retail limits under the new rules
Access for individual investors will not be unrestricted. Under Russia’s recently enacted cryptocurrency legislation, non-qualified investors must first pass a knowledge assessment before they can buy crypto on the exchange.
Those investors will also face a purchase cap of 300,000 rubles per year through each broker, an amount the source article put at roughly $3,700. The restrictions are part of a broader effort to move crypto activity into supervised markets while limiting exposure for less experienced buyers.
What comes next
The Dec. 1 opening follows an October trading pilot and marks the next confirmed step in Russia’s effort to formalize parts of its digital asset market. For now, Moscow Exchange has confirmed only the initial asset list, the operating schedule, the clearing setup and the limits that will apply to non-qualified retail investors.
A broader expansion, including additional cryptocurrencies and Russian-issued digital assets, remains a plan rather than a completed change. The pace of that expansion will depend on the exchange’s rollout and on how participating institutions complete their preparations.
Source: news.bitcoin.com