Russia's Central Bank Says Bitcoin Mining Is Supporting the Ruble and Considers New Rules

Russia's central bank governor Elvira Nabiullina told business media that the country's expanding Bitcoin mining industry has become one of several factors backing the ruble's exchange rate. Russian officials now frame large-scale mining as a kind of export that converts domestic energy into globally tradable digital assets, while regulators discuss channeling most crypto activity through licensed banks. Major state-linked lenders such as VTB and Sberbank are already testing crypto-linked derivatives and pilot programs for wealthy clients, signaling a gradual turn toward regulated market access.