Digitalization of the Russian financial system. May 2026
Forecast: "A Look into the Future from September 2025" (published September 26, 2025, link)
S. Dragan:
From spring 2026, completely new factors will step into life, as you already understand, incrementally and quite unevenly. So, by late April 2026, the first outlines of new information systems, technical formats will become apparent. And all topics related to new financial systems will begin to unfold in a completely new light.
Forecast: "What's Happening in Russia and the World. An Expanded View of the Present Time and a Forecast for the Foreseeable Future" (published April 20, 2026, link)
S. Dragan:
It's quite possible that this will happen by late April, possibly April 26-27, 2026. However, it's difficult to assert, but everything appears to take a completely abrupt and unexpected turn in areas related to... financial matters, linked to the digital theme.
At the end of April, “on April 26-27, 2026” in Russia, a new digital topic related to financial matters emerged.
On April 27, 2026, the Government Commission on Legislative Activities approved a draft amendment to the Tax Code, which provides for the introduction of the federal income tax (FIT) on operations with digital currency. Tass reports that authorities plan to tax income from such transactions, with a tax rate ranging from 13% to 22% in Russia.
It is noted that this concerns the FIT on income from operations with digital currency, including its exchange.
As noted by Vladimir Gruzdev, head of the Association of Russian Lawyers, the amendments aim to align the existing legislation with the upcoming law on digital currency and digital rights, reduce tax evasion risks, and increase the transparency of the cryptoasset market.
It was previously reported that Mosbourse intends to launch cryptocurrency trading after the law takes effect. According to the head of the Russian exchange's supervisory board, Sergei Svetsov, this is expected to happen in early 2027.
In the context of the approval of amendments to the Tax Code, discussions on the "digital ruble" continued during the same period.
The implementation of the digital ruble in the country's financial system is planned to be completed by the end of 2028.
According to experts, for society to perceive it positively, the state's task is to clearly and transparently communicate the real benefits citizens will gain, how their data will be protected, and financial freedom will be preserved.
“Since spring 2026 ... all topics related to new financial systems have begun to unfold in a completely new way.”
On May 21, 2026, the XXVI All-Russian Bank Conference “Digital Financial System of Russia: Digital Currencies, Tokenization, and Artificial Intelligence” took place in Moscow.
Some results and key discussion topics, "...linking the digital theme to financial issues":
Refined version of the cryptocurrency legalization bill. According to Ivan Chebeskov, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, the refined version of the bill will be ready at the beginning of the next week after the conference. It is planned to increase the limit for purchasing cryptocurrencies, and the Central Bank will have the opportunity to expand the list of cryptocurrencies. Issues related to stablecoins and criteria for their admission to the market were also discussed.
Discussion of Digital Financial System Regulation. The first session, "Digital Transformation of the Financial System: The Battle for Digital Dominance," addressed regulation and competition in the digital financial system, legal frameworks for the development of artificial intelligence, and challenges that may impact the future of digital finance in Russia.
Payment Ecosystem Trends. The session "Payment Ecosystem 2030: Trends, Scenarios, and Development Priorities" discussed payment system development models (centralized, platform-based, hybrid), the development of payment services, including unified QR codes, payment security, and fraud prevention.
Russian Crypto Asset Market. During this session, participants discussed the architecture of the crypto asset market, key roles, and interactions among market players, innovations in the cryptocurrency compliance system, and the emergence and development of Russian stablecoins under new regulatory conditions.
Digital Financial Assets (DFAs) and Tokenization. The session "DFAs and Tokenization: How the Real World Will Become Liquid, or Why It Might Not Have a Secondary Market for DFAs?" discussed the development of the DFA market, its integration with traditional market infrastructure, the tax and regulatory uncertainty surrounding DFAs, and the tokenization of real assets.
Competition in the Financial Market. WB Bank CEO George Gorshkov noted the high level of competition in the Russian financial market, which promotes the emergence of new services and products. He emphasized the role of regulators and legislators in creating a level playing field for all market participants.
Building a Transparent Digital Environment. First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Sovkombank, Sergey Khotimsky, stated the need for building a transparent digital environment with equal access conditions for all market participants. He also pointed to the risks of monopolization in various sectors due to the dominant position of certain participants.
Dragan predicts:
A sharp zigzag catches the eye, hinting at a revolutionary turn in (various) spheres (including those related to financial issues and the digital topic). But, this will not stop the processes of power restructuring. This process will continue.
(More on the topic to follow)
