Alfa-Bank Prepares a Digital Depository for Crypto

On July 9, 2026, Alfa-Bank, Russia's largest private bank, announced it is preparing a lineup of digital-asset services, with a proprietary digital depository for storing crypto and monitoring client transactions as the top priority. "First and foremost, we need to build our own digital depository," said Dmitry Vitman, chief operating officer of Alfa-Bank's corporate and investment business, crypto.news reports.

The bank is already testing crypto trading in its Alfa-Investments app with a small group of qualified investors — Tether, ZCash, Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD Coin, Solana and Litecoin are available. Alfa-Bank plans to complete the digital depository and crypto-to-ruble exchange gateways during 2026, with a full retail launch closer to the fourth quarter, regulatory schedule permitting.

Alfa-Bank isn't alone: Sberbank is building a crypto wallet into Sberbank Online and SberInvestments by December 1, T-Bank is tying its plans to the Atomyze platform, and VTB is discussing similar services.

The upshot: the country's biggest banks are, one by one, building crypto storage and exchange directly into everyday banking apps — but market participants estimate meaningful liquidity on Russia's regulated crypto market won't show up before late 2027.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.