Russia's FSB Plans to Extend SORM Surveillance to Crypto Exchanges and Gaming Platforms

According to The Bell, Alexander Samoilov, an officer from the FSB’s 12th Center, disclosed at the KROS Network Technologies Annual Conference in Sochi in May 2026 that the FSB plans to extend SORM (System for Operative-Investigative Measures) installation requirements to cryptocurrency exchanges and gaming platforms, mandating real-time sharing of user data with security agencies. Notably, Samoilov acknowledged that, ten years after the passage of the Yarovaya Law in 2016, compliance with its provisions remains at approximately 80%—a figure market participants consider overly optimistic. According to The Bell’s investigation, following the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack, the FSB’s Second Directorate leveraged a large-scale audit of the SORM system to further strengthen its control over Russia’s internet infrastructure.