Written by Helen Partzstaff writerReviewed by Yohan Yunstaff editor

Written by Helen Partzstaff writer

Reviewed by Yohan Yunstaff editor

Russia’s Sber eyes USDT loans, questions digital ruble demand

Latest NewsPublishedAug 30, 2026

Russia’s largest bank, Sber, plans to accept USDT and Ether alongside Bitcoin as loan collateral as the country introduces regulated crypto trading under a new law.

Russia’s largest bank, Sber, plans to expand its crypto-backed lending to accept Tether’s USDt stablecoin and Ether as collateral alongside Bitcoin, as reported by a senior executive.

Sber will adapt its existing products and gradually expand its offerings as Russia’s new crypto law takes effect, Deputy Chairman Anatoly Popov stated, as reported by a Friday TASS report. The bank plans to add the assets as collateral after the Bank of Russia permits them for public trading, he stated.

The plans come as Russia rolls out a regulated crypto market under a law signed by president Vladimir Putin on Aug. 4, with core provisions taking effect Sept. 1.

The law gives the Bank of Russia authority to determine which crypto assets can trade on regulated exchanges. The central bank proposed Bitcoin, Ether and USDT for regulated exchange trading on Aug. 11, saying they met requirements including market capitalization, trading volume and at least five years of price history on overseas markets.

Sber has taken a more cautious view of the digital ruble, Russia’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), ahead of its wider rollout on Sept. 1. Sber’s chief financial officer Taras Skvortsov reportedly stated that the bank sees little evidence of broad demand for the CBDC.

“I don’t see any clear interest in this instrument, apart from the central bank’s,” Skvortsov stated, adding that neither retail nor corporate clients nor financial institutions are actively pushing for the CBDC.

Related: Stablecoins not credible for payments at scale, BIS chief says

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

• Sberbank
• Russia
• Banks
• Stablecoin
• Tether
• CBDC
• Bitcoin

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