Russia's Sberbank issues its first Bitcoin mortgage loan to a mining company.

[Sberbank Issues First Bitcoin-Backed Loan to Mining Company] According to Mars Finance, on December 29th, Sberbank, Russia's second-largest bank, issued the country's first loan secured by Bitcoin to Intelion Data, a major Bitcoin mining company. Sberbank stated that this transaction is a pilot project and further expansion is possible in the future, but did not disclose the specific loan amount. Sberbank stated that the loan collateral is Bitcoin mined by Intelion Data, and the assets are held in custody through its proprietary crypto custody product, Rutoken, to ensure asset security during the loan term. The bank pointed out that such products are suitable not only for miners but also for companies holding crypto assets. Anatoly Popov, Vice Chairman of Sberbank, revealed that the bank has already offered clients structured bonds and digital financial assets linked to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and crypto asset portfolios, and is testing DeFi tools to support the gradual legalization of cryptocurrencies within the Russian legal framework.