Bank of Russia adds 2,600 crypto wallets to monitoring system

The central bank of Russia has flagged 2,600 cryptocurrency wallets as part of a new monitoring database that banks and law‑enforcement agencies can use for client risk assessments and financial investigations.

Scale of activity

During the first six months of 2026, the identified wallets attracted more than 1 billion rubles (in crypto‑equivalent value). The regulator also reported that 74 % of the pyramid schemes it tracked used cryptocurrencies to draw funds.

Enforcement actions

Information on the flagged wallets was shared with law‑enforcement bodies, the Federal Antimonopoly Service and other authorized agencies. Banks imposed restrictive measures on over 500 payment details linked to illegal activity, and authorities opened more than 330 administrative cases based on the central bank’s data.

Trends in scams

Scams frequently promoted crypto‑related investments, mining projects, and fake data‑center services. The regulator identified 929 entities with pyramid‑scheme characteristics and 379 entities suspected of illegal investment attraction, a combined 44 % drop from the same period in 2025. Conversely, illegal lending cases doubled to 999, many involving “crypto loans” denominated in USDT or rubles.

Regulatory context

Russia is moving toward a regulated crypto market, with a law approved in summer 2026 establishing rules for exchanges, brokers and custodians. The Bank of Russia is drafting operating rules that include capital requirements and official registers for licensed participants, ahead of a market rollout scheduled for September.

Related fraud incidents

Separate investigations uncovered fake ticket‑sale websites for Kanye West concerts that demanded cryptocurrency payments. Cybersecurity firm F6 identified at least ten such sites and several Telegram bots, highlighting the broader use of crypto in fraud schemes.