Sberbank tests DeFi products as Russia inches toward crypto banking

Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, has begun testing decentralized finance (DeFi) products. The bank’s deputy chair of the management board, Anatoly Popov, told Russian media outlet RBC the firm will soon “launch digital asset services in collaboration with regulators.” 

In a recent interview with RBC, Popov stated that he is “confident that traditional banking and DeFi will soon converge” in Russia. However, the deputy leader of the Sberbank board did not provide details on which specific protocols the bank is exploring.

Sberbank’s experiments align with the growing adoption of the crypto market in Russia, where several firms have launched crypto-themed funds, bonds, and indices that track the prices of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Earlier this month, VTB, another leading Russian bank, reported that its clients prefer to purchase “real” cryptos rather than trade derivatives. 

Despite the growing interest in crypto assets, banks are still awaiting regulatory approval from Vladimir Putin’s administration to allow clients to buy and sell coins directly through banking applications.

Sberbank in dialogue with regulators on crypto infrastructure

When asked about the future regulation of crypto in Russia by the RBC, Popov revealed Sberbank was in communication with authorities, saying: “We are in constant dialogue with the Bank of Russia and Rosfinmonitoring on  issues like how to build the necessary infrastructure, what technologies to use, how to ensure security and protect the rights of investors.” 

Popov indicated that new rules for qualified investors should create a pipeline for digital assets trading through traditional banking infrastructure. “This is familiar and convenient for clients. At the same time, it is important to use Russian custodial services and regulated sites,” he denoted.

Answering more questions about Sberbank’s participation in regulated cryptocurrency markets, he admitted that digital currencies have grown popular in Russia and the country ranks third globally in Bitcoin mining, but the bank will only actively operate in the market once clear rules are established and when doing so becomes economically viable. 

According to the Central Bank of Russia, citing data from March this year, the value of cryptocurrencies held in Russian wallets reached 827 billion rubles. 

Sberbank already has crypto-related products

Popov further stated that Sberbank will work within a regulated perimeter, focusing on liquidity for customer services, hedging, and piloting new business models, and it does not view digital assets as objects for speculative investment. 

Mentioning crypto-affiliated services it now offers, Popov reminded listeners that Sberbank had already launched several investment products for private investors, including structured bonds and CFA-format instruments. Its clients can invest in Bitcoin and Ethereum through these vehicles, either individually or in “ready-made sets.” 

Popov noted that the total volume of such products has reached 1.5 billion rubles, but when asked which one clients were more inclined towards, he reiterated that there was no single “most successful” tool because different products may suit different types of investors’ goals, size of investment, and risk appetite.

Russia’s assets frozen over ongoing Ukraine war

The Russian banking sector’s crypto and DeFi initiatives are changing against the backdrop of an ongoing war with Ukraine, which has led to the freezing of its assets. Russia’s central bank has announced it is seeking 18 trillion rubles (approximately $230 billion) in damages from Euroclear, a central securities depository in Brussels. 

The claim comes after Putin’s representatives had discussions within the European Union about using €210 billion in frozen Russian assets to provide Ukraine with funding for defense and stabilizing the Ukrainian economy.

EU heads claim that using most of the frozen funds held by Euroclear, about €185 billion, is legally sound because Russia is technically the owner of its sovereign wealth, held in response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Moscow, on the other hand, decried the plan as theft and threatened to retaliate against European private investors’ holdings in Russia. Head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund Kirill Dmitriev wrote on X that Russia “will win in court” to reclaim the assets and the EU, the euro currency, and Euroclear “will suffer” from the plan.

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