Russia has approved a national plan to bring real economy assets onto blockchain, starting with pilots that tokenize ownership rights.
Quick Summary – TLDR:
- Russia’s Finance Ministry and Central Bank backed a concept to tokenize real world assets using distributed ledger technology.
- Phase one pilots focus on property rights and intellectual property rights that are not subject to mandatory state registration.
- The plan later expands to documentary securities and LLC ownership stakes, aiming to boost liquidity and widen access for smaller investors.
- Separate crypto rules are being drafted for 2026, including a licensed exchange model and retail purchase caps under $4,000 per year.
What Happened?
Russia’s government approved a new concept that sets the rules for tokenizing ownership claims tied to real economy assets. The Finance Ministry says implementation has already begun, with pilot projects designed to test tokenization in a lower friction setting.
🇷🇺 Russia’s Ministry of Finance approved a concept to tokenize real-sector assets (RWA) with the Central Bank.
— CryptoPotato Official (@Crypto_Potato) February 11, 2026
Ownership rights, securities, and IP could move on-chain, starting with pilot projects (property, LLC shares).
Goal: more liquidity and transparency. pic.twitter.com/dqYI8VzXsr
How Russia Plans to Tokenize Real Assets?
The framework was developed by the Russian Ministry of Finance together with the Central Bank of Russia and other federal executive bodies. The stated goal is to modernize Russia’s financial infrastructure by bringing traditional assets onto blockchain based platforms, making them easier to trade and finance.
Officials describe tokenization as a way to turn hard to move assets into digital units that can be transferred more efficiently. In plain terms, it is about making ownership easier to prove, easier to split, and easier to trade.
The ministry framed the project as part of a broader push to upgrade market plumbing, reduce administrative overhead, and make domestic capital markets more accessible.
Phase One Pilots Focus on Property and IP
In the first stage, authorities plan pilots that tokenize:
- Property rights to various types of assets.
- Exclusive rights to intellectual property, where transactions are not subject to mandatory state registration.
This is a practical starting point. By focusing on transactions that do not require state registration, regulators can test issuance, transfer, and settlement processes with fewer legal bottlenecks. The Finance Ministry also said the initiative aims to “introduce and develop digital innovations, including the active use of distributed ledgers.”
Next Up: Securities and LLC Stakes
After the initial pilots, Russia plans to broaden tokenization to:
- Documentary securities
- Shares in the charter capital of limited liability companies
The government is clearly targeting liquidity in asset categories that are traditionally slower and more complex to trade. Officials also emphasize bringing in a wider pool of private investors by lowering barriers to entry, including cost.
As the Finance Ministry put it:
That last point matters. If assets become easier to verify and transfer, banks may be more comfortable accepting them as collateral, which can strengthen secured lending portfolios.
Why Blockchain is Central to the Pitch?
Russia’s policy argument is that automation and reduced reliance on intermediaries can make markets more efficient and reduce operational mistakes. The ministry summed it up directly: “[…] blockchain will replace financial intermediaries, reduce transaction costs. The application of the technology will automate the execution of orders and investment decisions, reducing the need for human involvement and the likelihood of operational errors,” the department concluded.
This also aligns with Russia’s broader emphasis on building domestic financial infrastructure and relying less on external systems.
Tokenization Arrives as Crypto Rules Tighten
This tokenization push is happening alongside a larger effort to set clearer rules for crypto activity. Russian policymakers are drafting a framework that would route crypto trading through licensed crypto exchanges, widen access beyond current experimental regimes, and apply staged limits including retail caps under $4,000 yearly. Lawmakers are targeting legislation by July 1, 2026, with more rules expected to roll out across 2026 and 2027.
Separately, Russia is also tightening enforcement tools. On February 10, the State Duma passed a law in its third reading that sets procedures for arrest and seizure of digital currencies in criminal proceedings, and for those purposes cryptocurrency is recognized as property.
SQ Magazine Takeaway
I see this as Russia trying to do two things at once. First, it wants to make real economy assets easier to fund and trade by turning ownership into digital tokens that move faster. Second, it is making sure the state keeps a firm grip on the rules around crypto. The interesting part is the sequencing: pilots first where bureaucracy is lighter, then expansion into securities and company stakes once the system proves it can work. If Russia pulls this off cleanly, it could unlock real liquidity at home. If it turns into a heavily controlled maze, it will limit the very investor participation it says it wants.
