Russia’s Central Bank is actively considering the use of tokenization solutions to enable foreign buyers to access shares in Russian companies, a move that domestic industry insiders deem “feasible and attractive to foreign investors.” Vladimir Chistyukhin, the First Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank, confirmed this during a recent financial forum, referring to it as a “possible option.”
Chistyukhin indicated that foreign partners would play a crucial role by providing the necessary technical and platform-based solutions for tokenizing Russian assets for international trade. These comments align with an earlier proposal from Sergei Shvetsov, head of the Moscow Exchange’s Supervisory Board, who suggested in late September that tokenization would allow overseas investors to bypass “sanctioned infrastructure and sanctioned intermediaries and brokers” currently prevalent in Russia.
Russian experts largely support the initiative. An official from Sovcombank stated that tokenization could be an effective tool for investors from BRICS countries and “friendly jurisdictions” like the UAE, Kazakhstan, or Armenia. In the long term, this could “accelerate the Russian market’s integration into the global digital financial system.” Alexey Korolenko, Executive Director of Cifra Markets, concurred, noting that the real-world assets (RWAs) sector is gaining mainstream demand. He emphasized the feasibility of tokenizing Russian shares but cautioned that Moscow must ensure the reliability of providers throughout the ownership and tokenization chain, while also addressing infrastructure, liquidity, and potential “political risks.” This strategy appears to be a direct attempt to mitigate the impact of international sanctions on Russia’s financial markets.
October 2025, Cryptoniteuae
