The product, currently available on the over-the-counter market to a limited pool of qualified investors, allows returns based on the performance of Bitcoin’s US dollar value, as well as the potential appreciation of the dollar against the Russian ruble.
Sberbank said the bonds eliminate the need for investors to open cryptocurrency wallets or use offshore exchanges, as all transactions are settled in rubles and within Russian legal and technological frameworks.
Sberbank announced that future issuances of these Bitcoin-linked structured bonds will be listed on the Moscow Exchange, expanding accessibility, transparency, and liquidity for qualified domestic investors.
The bank also plans to offer additional exchange-traded products with cryptocurrency exposure, including Bitcoin futures, which will become available via SberInvest on June 4 following the launch of BTC futures trading on the Moscow Exchange.
The move highlights Sberbank’s growing role in modernizing Russia’s financial infrastructure and signals a cautious but tangible integration of crypto-assets within a government-regulated environment.
While crypto remains a contentious topic in Russian policymaking, structured products like these may provide a compliant pathway for investor participation in the digital asset economy.
While the Central Bank of Russia continues to oppose unrestricted cryptocurrency circulation, it has permitted pilot programs involving tokenized assets and digital ruble testing.
Sberbank’s structured bond program may serve as a blueprint for how traditional finance and crypto exposure can coexist in tightly controlled financial environments, potentially opening the door to broader adoption in Russia’s capital markets.
