Russia's Leading Exchange launches Perps trading for XRP, ETH, and more...

Moscow Exchange (MOEX), Russia's largest financial market, has officially launched perpetual futures contracts linked to five major cryptocurrencies, marking a notable expansion of regulated crypto derivatives within the country's mainstream exchange infrastructure.

What MOEX Is Offering

The exchange has introduced perpetual futures contracts on five major cryptocurrency indices, covering $BTC, $ETH, $SOL, $XRP, and $TRX. Prices are quoted in U.S. dollars, while collateral, variation margin, and settlement are handled in Russian rubles. No delivery of the underlying assets is involved.

Unlike traditional futures with fixed expiration dates, perpetual contracts have no set maturity, letting traders hold positions indefinitely as long as they meet margin requirements, a structure long popular on offshore crypto exchanges but rarely offered through a regulated, mainstream stock exchange like MOEX.

Access is restricted to qualified investors, a designation under Russian securities law that typically applies to institutions and individuals meeting certain wealth, income, or experience thresholds. The futures are cash-settled, so investors will not actually receive or own the cryptocurrencies. Instead, the contracts follow MOEX's crypto indices, allowing investors to profit from changes in crypto prices without directly holding the assets.

A Broader Shift in Russia's Crypto Strategy

The rollout extends Russia's regulated crypto market following new rules that took effect on September 1, 2026. Bank of Russia guidance now permits cryptocurrency transactions through approved intermediaries, subject to investor eligibility rules, and the framework also created a structure for organized trading and digital asset custody.

Since the first digital asset futures launched last summer, more than 72,000 qualified investors have already traded these contracts on the exchange, with cumulative transaction volume exceeding 600 billion rubles, approximately $6.5 billion. The addition of $XRP, $ETH, $SOL, and $TRX alongside $BTC signals that MOEX is moving beyond a cautious pilot phase and embedding crypto volatility more firmly into its conventional market product suite.

The move expands Russia's regulated crypto derivatives market amid tighter government controls, supporting institutional participation while maintaining regulatory oversight and reflecting Russia's cautious approach to crypto adoption.

Sources:
CryptoRank: Moscow Exchange Lists Perpetual Crypto Futures Across Five Major Digital Assets
Coin Edition: Russia's MOEX to Launch Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP and Tron Futures
The Cryptonomist: Moscow Exchange Crypto Futures Launch September 2026