Cryptobanks in Belarus 2026: The National Bank approved the rules

A New Stage of Digitalization: Belarus Creates Framework for Crypto Banks

The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus has finalized the regulatory framework for launching crypto banks by approving prudential requirements that will take effect on July 18, 2026. The regulator has established strict financial limits based on the scope of services, minimum capital, and risk levels, including mandatory reserve creation.

Basic Licenses and Capital Requirements

To operate legally in the market, organizations must be included in the official registry of the National Bank and perform a minimum package of operations:

• Settlement and foreign exchange transactions;


• Cash services for clients;


• Opening and maintaining accounts for non-residents.

Two Accreditation Levels and Financial Limits

The main division of crypto banks will depend on whether the organization plans to issue loans using attracted funds:

1. Standard crypto banks (without traditional interest-bearing lending). For these entities, the minimum regulatory capital is set at 30 million Belarusian rubles, and the leverage ratio must be at least 7%.


2. Crypto banks with a lending function. If a company plans to place funds at interest, the capital threshold doubles to 60 million rubles, while the minimum leverage ratio drops to 3% (similar to traditional banking institutions).

Strict Risk Control and Token Limits

To protect the financial system from the high volatility of digital assets, the National Bank has classified all tokens into four categories: corporate tokens, tokenized assets, stablecoins, and other tokens. Banks are required to build up special reserves against assets with difficult-to-determine values and potential loan losses.

New Limits for Public Protection

The regulator is introducing two critical restrictions:

• The volume of funds attracted from Belarusian citizens on a returnable basis cannot exceed 50% of the crypto bank's guarantee deposit held at the National Bank.


• The volume of funds raised from issuing its own non-monetary tokens is strictly limited to 0.01% of the organization's total capital.

Additionally, a mandatory daily liquidity ratio of at least 1 is introduced, calculated as the ratio of ruble funds in the National Bank correspondent account to the ruble balances in the accounts of local residents.

Benefits for Readers

• Maximum Deposit Safety: Strict limits set by the National Bank (restricting deposits to 50% of the guarantee deposit) ensure that a crypto bank cannot disappear with depositors' money. Your funds are backed by the regulator's reserves.


• Risk Mitigation: A clear classification of tokens into categories protects clients from the sudden collapse of dubious digital coins. Banks will primarily operate with stable assets.


• Clear Rules of the Game: Starting July 18, 2026, cryptocurrency users in Belarus will have a legal and transparent alternative to traditional banks, allowing them to officially store, exchange, and invest crypto assets under state protection.