The adoption of the Digital Financial Assets Act is postponed because of the coronavirus.

   Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Financial Market Anatoli Aksakov says that the adoption of the bill on regulation of digital assets is postponed, but the law will be adopted in the spring session.

Anatoli Aksakov said that the adoption of the bill "On digital financial assets" is postponed, as the efforts of lawmakers are now aimed at developing measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Financial Market noted that although the bill will not be adopted in April, it will happen before the end of the spring session.

The adoption of the bill was delayed due to disagreements between legislators and regulators on whether to allow the use of cryptov currencies as a means of payment. The final version of the bill will define cryptographic assets, the procedure for their issuance and circulation, but their use for payments will be prohibited, as previously reported.

"I consider it [the bill] quite thoughtful, balanced. The MTPF supports it, so we can say that it suits the market. And, as we know, the main consumer of this law is the market".

In addition, the bill provides for the issue and circulation of digital assets, secured by goods. Earlier the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) made a request to include this item in the bill. Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Financial Market said that the bill does not mention the mining and should be regulated separately - first of all, in terms of taxation.

Aksakov explained that the new law will contain provisions on combating the laundering of capital obtained by criminal means. The new regulation will not interfere with the work of cryptographic exchanges, if they do not violate it. However, their activities will be regulated with the adoption of the document. In his interview, Aksakov also mentioned the possibility of issuing a cryptoruble on a block-chain:

"I am sure that in time there will be a cryptoruble, the circulation of which will be served by a blockage. But it will be a currency, which will be controlled and regulated by the Central Bank".

The adoption of the bill "On Digital Financial Assets" has been repeatedly postponed, and its development took more than two years. Last month, Anatoly Aksakov said that the Bank of Russia and lawmakers managed to resolve their differences, and the law "On Digital Financial Assets" may be adopted in March.