While speaking to Reuters on Friday, CEO Alexander Afanasiev said that The Moscow Stock Exchange (MOEX) is planning to share information about initial coin offerings (ICOs).
Currently, the Moscow Stock exchange is building a platform for publishing token sale data and has plans to launch it later this year, said Afanasiev. The Moscow Stock exchange also informed that it would make available descriptions for certain tokens and details about ICOs for investors, instead of listing tokens directly.
According to CEO Alexander Afanasiev of the Moscow Stock Exchange:
“We’re treating them as we treat fiat currencies so far because cryptocurrencies don’t have a status of legally protected assets now, but if it changes we will place them in our system as well.“
If there is a demand, the Moscow Stock exchange may also consider issuing futures products for ICOs, Afanasiev said, adding “we’re working on a possible structure of such futures now.”
During an appearance on a national television program, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia should look at the opportunities around blockchain and perhaps use it to “avoid various limitations in global finance trade”.
But it is also important to note that Russia has approached cryptocurrencies and blockchain regulations cautiously. While financial authorities mostly support extensive blockchain use, law enforcement agencies aim to forbid such actions. Now, two bills that give oversight on basic terminology and rules are waiting their turn in the State Duma, or the Russian parliament.