Sberbank Explores DeFi Products Amid Rising Crypto Demand

According to ChainCatcher, Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, is testing various decentralized finance (DeFi) products to meet the growing demand for cryptocurrency transactions among its customers. Anatoly Popov, the bank's Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, stated that Sberbank plans to collaborate with regulators to develop digital asset products, anticipating a convergence between traditional banking and DeFi. Despite the Russian central bank's previous cautious stance on cryptocurrencies, its position has softened due to the expansion of Russia's Bitcoin mining industry and the increasing use of cryptocurrencies for cross-border settlements. Sberbank has also expressed interest in public blockchains like Ethereum, with plans to explore asset tokenization and connections with DeFi platforms. The bank has a market value of approximately $83 billion, serving around 109 million retail customers and over 3 million corporate clients.