Moscow Exchange Expands Crypto Offerings with New Futures for Solana, Ripple, and Tron

The Moscow Exchange (MOEX) is set to enhance its range of cryptocurrency products in 2026 by introducing new futures contracts linked to leading digital assets such as Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), and Tron (TRX). This move was revealed in an interview with an executive on RBC.

Key Takeaways

The Moscow Exchange plans to introduce futures contracts for Solana, Ripple, and Tron in 2026.
These new products will be based on the creation of underlying indices, which are necessary for futures contracts.
New futures will be cash-settled and adhere to existing regulatory guidelines.
The exchange is also exploring perpetual futures and options in addition to traditional futures.
Future regulations will cap investment amounts for non-qualified investors while permitting unlimited access for qualified investors.

Russia

Currently, the exchange already offers futures contracts based on Bitcoin and Ethereum indices and now aims to add three new crypto indices that will reflect the price movements of Solana, Ripple, and Tron, leading to the development of futures contracts based on these indices.

Maria Silkina, the Chief Manager of the Derivatives Product Group at the Moscow Exchange, expressed in the “Investment Hour” program that expanding the range of crypto pairings is crucial for the upcoming year, focusing initially on some well-known names in the market.

“Throughout this year, we will be adding new pairings, and certainly, the top names among the first will include Solana, Ripple, and Tron… after that, we will see our progress,” stated Silkina.

Foundation of Indices Essential for Futures Launch

Silkina emphasized that for crypto asset futures contracts to be viable, they need underlying indices that serve as reference prices. She clarified that futures contracts cannot exist without clearly defined and published benchmarks.

At present, MOEX calculates indices for Bitcoin and Ethereum using a transparent methodology, which is available on their website, and actively trades futures based on these indices in the derivatives market.

“Our development of MOEX crypto indices includes proper methodologies which are disclosed on our website. A futures contract cannot be launched without a base asset. Indices must be generated, accurately calculated and publicly available before a futures contract can exist; otherwise, it is impossible,” Silkina elaborated.

The new proposed futures contracts will be cash-settled, similar to the existing Bitcoin and Ethereum contracts, meaning there will be no physical transfer of underlying cryptocurrencies, in compliance with current Bank of Russia regulations.

These cash-settled contracts will expire monthly and adhere to the same design framework as the already available BTC and ETH futures.

Under current Russian legislation, derivatives linked to cryptocurrency indices on the Moscow Exchange will solely be available to qualified investors.

Exploring Perpetual Futures and Options

Besides the new index futures, the exchange is also considering the launch of perpetual futures—contracts which roll over automatically each day—for major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Silkina confirmed that once they expand the range of futures pairs, the exchange plans to introduce both perpetual futures and options based on the same indices.

“After we broaden the lineup of futures for other pairs, we will also add perpetual futures and options. However, these will be introduced gradually. The perpetual futures will correspond to the same index that currently has a monthly contract,” Silkina mentioned.

This development signifies a further step by one of Russia’s largest financial markets towards integrating crypto derivatives trading within existing regulatory structures, offering professional traders and institutions enhanced tools for exposure, hedging, and price discovery in digital assets.

New Regulations Limit Crypto Buyers to $4,000 Each Year

Moreover, Russia's State Duma is working to finalize legislation by July 1, 2026, that creates a two-tier access system for cryptocurrencies. This system limits non-qualified investors to a cap of 300,000 rubles (around $4,000) annually, while allowing qualified investors unrestricted buying capabilities. The framework is based on the Bank of Russia’s concept presented to the government last December and reclassifies digital currencies and stablecoins as tradable currency assets, though they will remain prohibited for domestic transactions.