Russia’s Duma approves rules for seizing crypto in criminal cases

Russia’s State Duma has passed a government-backed bill that sets a formal procedure for arresting and seizing “digital currency” in criminal proceedings, including how investigators should document a seizure, store access devices, and (when technically possible) move seized crypto to a special address for safekeeping.

According to Interfax, the bill was approved in the third reading on Feb. 10, 2026, and treats digital currency as property for the purposes of criminal law, adding relevant provisions to the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code. The law is set to enter into force 10 days after official publication.

What the law says investigators must do

The practical focus is evidence handling and asset preservation. Interfax reports that seizure protocols must specify the type of digital currency, the amount, and the address identifiers involved. Any physical storage media — or other means of access to crypto — must be stored in a sealed manner.

To preserve value and control, the law allows seized digital currency to be transferred to a special address identifier. The catch is important: the transfer is allowed only if there is a technical possibility, and the Russian government will define the procedure for transferring and storing seized crypto through subordinate regulations.

How this fits existing practice

Interfax quotes Deputy Justice Minister Elena Ardabyeva as saying the bill largely codifies what investigators already do in practice during searches and seizures: taking devices for “cold wallets,” or obtaining keys and documenting data for “hot” wallets — including via screenshots and data fixation. The same explanation also notes planned interaction with foreign crypto exchanges as part of investigative work.

A key open question: how to value crypto for confiscation

Interfax also notes that the Duma’s financial market committee previously pointed to the need for a workable valuation mechanism when crypto is confiscated. Ardabyeva’s position, as cited, is that investigators can request market value at any moment, while applying seizure within the size of the damage being investigated.

The takeaway: Russia is trying to make crypto seizure look less like improvisation and more like a documented, repeatable process — while leaving the technical “how” (special address operations, storage procedures) to government rulemaking that comes next.

Why it matters for crypto

• It’s a concrete “how-to” for enforcement. The bill focuses on mechanics: documentation, sealed storage, and an option to move seized funds to a designated address for safekeeping.
• Crypto is explicitly treated as property in criminal proceedings. That framing matters because it supports standard asset-freeze and confiscation workflows, but applied to wallets and keys.
• Operational risk shifts to procedure and custody. When the state can move seized assets to a special address, the details of how that address is managed become a real security and trust question.
• Cross-border exchange interaction is part of the model. The mention of working with foreign exchanges signals that investigators will keep leaning on centralized rails when they can.

What to watch next

• Government by-laws on the “special address” process. The law’s practical impact depends on the subordinate rules that define how transfers and storage will actually work.
• How valuation is handled in real cases. The committee flagged it, and the answer (market snapshots, timing, methodology) will matter for courts and defendants.
• Implementation in investigations involving hot wallets. The law references obtaining keys and recording data; watch how investigators standardize chain-of-custody and evidence integrity.
• Timeline to enforcement. The law takes effect 10 days after official publication, but broader application hinges on the government’s implementing acts.

Source: Interfax — “Duma adopted a law on the procedure for seizing cryptocurrency in criminal cases”