The Supreme Court of Russia has put an end to a long-standing legal uncertainty: the digital ruble is now recognized as a subject of theft along with cash, property and documentary securities. The relevant draft was approved at a plenary session chaired by the head of the Supreme Court.

Why was this clarification necessary?

Until recently, the courts did not have a unified position on the legal status of Russia’s digital currency. In practice, this created absurd situations: the very criminal prosecution of intruders was questioned only because tokens or funds from a digital wallet were stolen, not bills. The new clarifications by the Supreme Court close this gap once and for all.

What exactly has changed: key clarifications

1. The list of theft items has been expanded.

Digital rubles, tokens, cryptocurrencies, and undocumented securities are now part of the legal concept of “theft.” Using a digital ruble as a means of accumulation or settlement no longer leaves it in a legal “gray zone”: stealing it is just as illegal as taking a wallet out of your pocket.

2. The moment of the crime has been established.

For non-cash funds and digital wallets, there is a clear rule: theft is considered completed at the time the money is debited from the account. This is important for the qualification of a crime and the calculation of time limits.

3. The line between theft and fraud has been drawn.

If an attacker fraudulently found out the password or card details, but the funds were debited secretly, this is theft, not fraud. The legal qualification depends on the method of withdrawal, not on the method of obtaining access to the data.

4. Serial petty theft is combined into one case.

If a fraudster systematically withdraws small amounts, acting with a single intention, the court classifies this as one ongoing theft. Punishment