Alfa-Bank, Russia's largest private bank, has announced plans to offer cryptocurrency services, aiming to become a digital custodian for both its clients and other legal entities. The bank's Operations Director, Dmitry Vitman, revealed intentions to develop investment instruments based on open blockchain technology to attract foreign investors and compete internationally. Vitman anticipates that with the implementation of Russia's crypto regulation bill, a retail brokerage business could emerge by late 2026 or early 2027, involving both Russian and foreign infrastructure. However, he cautioned that significant liquidity is unlikely before the end of 2027. As a digital custodian, Alfa-Bank will be responsible for monitoring client crypto transactions and ensuring compliance with state-approved address transfers.