Bank of Russia confirms self-custody wallet restrictions exclude international payments

Moscow is boxing in domestic crypto use while leaving the door open for cross-border trade settlements Russia’s central bank has drawn a clear line through its new crypto rulebook. Restrictions on self-custody wallets will not apply to international payments. On October 29, 2026, First Deputy Governor Vladimir Chistyukhin confirmed that the limits on non-custodial wallets do not cover cross-border settlements. Domestically, crypto is being herded into a supervised corral. Internationally, the gate stays open. What the Bank of Russia actually said A non-custodial, or self-custody, wallet is one where the user holds the private keys. Regulators tend to dislike these wallets because no intermediary sits in the middle to watch transactions. The legal backbone here is Federal Law No. 282-FZ, which took effect on September 1, 2026. It pushes digital asset activity through licensed players and bars transfers from regulated digital accounts at licensed depositories into self-custody wallets. The Bank of Russia followed with guidance dated October 12, 2026. That guidance blocks transfers from regulated digital accounts to self-custody wallets, effective immediately. There is a notable carve...