Overview of Key Events in the First Quarter of 2026 in the Republic of Belarus
In the first quarter of 2026, the following events occurred in the Republic of Belarus in the areas of bank deposit insurance (guaranteeing), liquidation, financial rehabilitation and bankruptcy of credit institutions, as well as the functioning of the banking market:
1. The President of the Republic of Belarus signed a Decree on Cryptobanks and Tokens.
On January 16, 2026, the President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko signed Decree No. 19 “On Cryptobanks and Certain Issues of Control in the Sphere of Digital Signs (Tokens).” The document is aimed at strengthening the image of Belarus as a flagship in the field of financial IT technologies and provides for the creation of conditions for the activities of cryptobanks in the country. The relevant Decree enters into force on July 18, 2026.
2. By the Resolution of the Board of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus dated February 11, 2026, the medium-term program of activities of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus and the financial sector for 2026-2030 was approved.
In an exclusive interview with the “Bankovsky Vestnik” magazine, Roman Golovchenko, Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus, spoke about key development targets, new instruments for businesses and citizens, as well as how the balance between technological sovereignty and financial stability will be ensured with the approval of the medium-term program of activities of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus and the financial sector for 2026-2030.
Source
Download the Medium-term program of activities of the National Bank and the financial sector for 2026-2030
3. A new graphical symbol for the Belarusian ruble has been approved.
The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus has approved a new graphical symbol for the official monetary unit of the Republic of Belarus – the Belarusian ruble. The relevant decision was made by the Resolution of the Board of the National Bank dated January 27, 2026, No. 25.
4. A Law comprehensively regulating leasing activities has been adopted in Belarus.
On March 16, 2026, the President of the Republic of Belarus signed the Law “On Leasing Activities,” which comprehensively regulates leasing activities in the territory of the Republic of Belarus, taking into account the practice of applying the norms of the Decree of the President dated February 25, 2014, No. 99 “On issues of regulating leasing activities.”
5. The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus plans to proceed to the pilot industrial operation of the digital ruble from July 1, 2026.
The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus plans to proceed to the pilot industrial operation of the digital ruble from July 1, 2026. This was reported to journalists by Alexander Egorov, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.
6. The Draft Law on issues of the digital Belarusian ruble has been adopted in the first reading.
The draft law “On changing laws on issues of the digital Belarusian ruble” was adopted by the deputies of the House of Representatives in the first reading. The draft law includes provisions aimed at defining the legal nature of the digital Belarusian ruble, which represents a new (additional) form of non-cash money that, unlike the existing form, is recorded not in bank accounts, but in digital accounts at the National Bank.
Overview of Key Events in the First Quarter of 2026
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