Alfa-Bank Goes Alpha Into Crypto: Russia's Biggest Private Lender Pilots BTC, ETH Trading 🏦

Alfa-Bank, Russia's largest private bank, has launched pilot testing of cryptocurrency trading services through its Alfa-Investments brokerage app, offering a limited group of qualified investors access to several major digital assets including Bitcoin ($BTC), Ether ($ETH), Solana ($SOL), Litecoin ($LTC), Tether USDt ($USDT), USDC ($USDC) and Zcash ($ZEC), according to reports from Russian publication RBC. The bank indicated that broader retail access could follow once Russia adopts the required regulatory framework, with a possible commercial launch targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Dmitry Vitman, chief operating officer of Alfa-Bank's corporate and investment banking division, said the bank plans to roll out a full suite of crypto services once the relevant digital asset legislation takes effect. The bank also intends to establish its own "digital depository," a service analogous to a digital asset custodian that stores and manages crypto assets, both to support its own offerings and to serve other companies.

The push comes as Russia's major financial institutions position themselves for a regulated crypto market. Sber, VTB and T-Bank have also outlined crypto plans amid progress on the country's digital asset legislation, which continues to advance through the State Duma.

One of the related bills, "On Digital Currency and Digital Rights," passed its first reading in the State Duma in April 2026 and is designed to establish rules for crypto operations under Bank of Russia oversight. Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the State Duma's Financial Market Committee, said on Wednesday that a package of cryptocurrency bills was ready for its second reading after the committee approved amendments. Cointelegraph contacted Alfa-Bank for comment on the tests but did not receive a response at the time of publication.