Sberbank plans to offer cryptocurrency-backed loans.

• Sberbank prepares loans secured by cryptocurrencies.
• Bitcoin mining could boost corporate credit.
• Bank's blockchain platform grows more than five times.

Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, is structuring a new corporate lending model secured by cryptocurrencies.The initiative comes after internal testing and follows the increased demand from companies that accumulate digital assets, especially in the mining sector.

The state-owned institution has reportedly signaled to the market that it is ready to work with the Russian central bank to create specific rules for this type of operation. This move places Sberbank among the major banks exploring the use of cryptocurrencies as collateral in traditional financial transactions.

The initial focus should be on Bitcoin mining companies and other companies that hold significant cryptocurrency reserves. The proposal is to offer credit using these assets as collateral, integrating digital custody into the existing banking structure.

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The plan gained traction after a pilot project conducted in late 2025 with the mining company AO Intelion Data. In the operation, the company used cryptocurrencies mined by itself as collateral, while the bank employed its own custody infrastructure and hardware solutions to protect the assets during the loan term.

This step is part of a broader strategy initiated years ago. Sberbank began developing its digital asset infrastructure back in 2020 and received official authorization to operate with digital financial assets in 2022. Since then, its proprietary blockchain platform has been experiencing accelerated growth.

Data recently released Data shows that the total volume of digital assets issued on the bank's platform reached 408 billion rubles in 2025. This figure represents a significant jump compared to previous years, indicating consistent growth in the adoption of digital instruments by Russian companies.

In January 2026 alone, new digital asset issuances already exceeded half of the total recorded in the entire previous year. Furthermore, the volume of assets held in custody on the platform has also increased rapidly in recent months.

Currently, the Central Bank of Russia classifies cryptocurrencies as foreign exchange assets. This definition allows for buying and selling, but still prevents their use as a means of domestic payment, while the country works on consolidating a broader regulatory framework for the sector.