No Crypto in Russia’s National Fund, Says Finance Ministry

• Russia’s Finance Ministry will not change the National Welfare Fund’s investment structure, keeping crypto assets excluded due to high volatility.
• The fund will continue prioritizing yuan and gold while avoiding cryptocurrency, despite global discussions on digital asset reserves.

It seems that the Russian Finance Ministry is not hastily integrating cryptocurrency into its national investment strategy. Deputy Finance Minister Vladimir Kolychev confirmed that there are no plans to add digital assets to the National Welfare Fund.

He also refuted any talks about establishing a strategic crypto reserve—something the Trump government thought about. He claims that the main reason crypto is absent from Russia’s investment portfolio—which now mostly consists of yuan and gold—is great volatility.

Russian Deputy Minister of Finance, told the media on March 4, 2025 that the Ministry does not consider or intend to use crypto as an investment tool for the national welfare fund, because of volatility.
The main reserves are still Chinese yuan and #gold. https://t.co/UJj6s6ISAX pic.twitter.com/8TxXbIE9Gq

— Dan Popescu (@PopescuCo) March 5, 2025

Russia Tightens Regulations on Crypto Seizures

Russia’s cautious stance toward cryptocurrency is beyond mere investment policy. Local authorities, on the other hand, are likewise progressively tightening rules regarding these digital resources.

Russia’s Investigative Committee recently suggested changes allowing for the seizure and freezing of cryptocurrencies in criminal cases, as CNF previously reported. This responds to current legal gaps, mainly with relation to whether crypto wallets qualify as electronic payment tools.

Regarding the legal position of these digital assets, Russian legal experts differ. While some contend that the decentralized character of these assets makes them challenging to manage within traditional legal systems, others say crypto wallets should be handled like bank accounts.

Russia Expands Crypto Restrictions with Mining Ban

It doesn’t stop there, new government actions reveal Russia’s desire to keep complete control over the national crypto ecosystem. Russia started imposing a six-year ban on crypto mining in ten regions, including Dagestan, Chechnya, and Kherson, earlier this year, on January 1, 2025. This decision was made to lower too high energy usage and guarantee the stability of the national electrical system.

Russia joins many other nations that have started to restrict digital asset mining operations due to the disruptive ecological and financial consequences of which this prohibition represents.

Besides that, the BestChange exchange platform then revealed in February 2025 that Russia’s communications agency, Roskomnadzor, had disabled their website.

Though the official cause of the block was not revealed, several parties saw this action as part of Russia’s approach to regulate the crypto transaction volume within the nation. This phase highlights the government’s stance on closer monitoring digital money trading operations.

Balancing Innovation and Stability in Crypto Trading

Russia understands that digital assets cannot be totally disregarded even with its ever tight control of the crypto industry. Under special control, the government declared intentions to open a crypto trading market on March 5, 2025.

Currently specified by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Russia, this market will function inside an experimental legislative framework and only be accessible to “super-qualified” investors.

This program’s very clear objective is to allow innovation while preserving financial stability, particularly under the face of ever-strict worldwide sanctions. The government seeks to avoid the harmful effects of wild market swings by building a more regulated ecosystem, therefore allowing room for the growth of digital assets in a more predictable corridor.