Russian citizens inquire with the government whether pension payments will be supported via cryptocurrency.
TL;DR
Russian citizens are increasingly asking if pensions can be paid in cryptocurrency, but the government confirms all payments are in rubles. Russia leads Europe in crypto transactions, with new regulations proposed for retail investors.
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According to Odaily Odaily, the Russian Social Foundation received a significant increase in non-standard inquiries about cryptocurrencies among the 37 million hotline calls it handled in 2025. The inquiries primarily focused on whether Russian citizens could receive pensions using cryptocurrencies and whether cryptocurrency mining income would be included in social welfare calculations. The foundation responded that all pensions and social payments are issued in rubles, and that the Russian Federal Tax Service is responsible for cryptocurrency-related tax and income issues. Furthermore, a Chainalysis report shows that Russia received $376.3 billion in cryptocurrencies between July 2024 and June 2025, making it the largest cryptocurrency market in Europe. Currently, the Central Bank of Russia has proposed allowing retail investors, subject to a test, to purchase a maximum of 300,000 rubles worth of specific cryptocurrencies annually.