Russia's central bank has approved Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether for retail investors, a move that gives everyday traders a clear list of cryptocurrencies they can buy and sell. XRP, however, didn't make the cut. The decision, based on the central bank's liquidity bar, applies only to retail trading, not institutional.
The approved list
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT — Tether's stablecoin — all clear the central bank's liquidity bar, the threshold that determines whether a cryptocurrency is liquid enough for retail investors. That bar is the key criterion, and it's what separates the approved from the rejected. The three assets now have official backing for retail use in Russia.
Why XRP missed out
XRP, the token associated with Ripple, didn't meet that bar. The central bank hasn't detailed the reasoning beyond the liquidity measure, but the outcome is clear: retail investors in Russia can't trade XRP through approved channels. The decision leaves XRP on the sidelines while the other three move forward.
Retail only
The approval is specifically for retail trading. Institutional investors are not covered by this decision, meaning the rules for professional and corporate trading remain unchanged. The central bank's move is a targeted step, not a broad liberalization of the market. It gives retail traders a defined set of options, but it doesn't open the door to everything.
For now, retail investors in Russia have three approved cryptocurrencies to trade, and XRP isn't one of them.
