Banks urged to check sources of cash deposits from ₽5 million
On October 26, 2026, the Bank of Russia recommended source-of-funds checks for large cash deposits. The guidance targets potential money laundering and transactions outside customers' usual patterns.
₽5 million sets the threshold
The Bank of Russia advises credit institutions to identify the sources of funds when processing large cash transactions for customers.
Examples for individuals include a single cash deposit of ₽5 million or more, or several deposits totaling at least ₽5 million per month.
The measures also cover transactions atypical of a company's business or an individual's usual payment patterns.
The regulator says the checks are intended to help banks promptly detect suspicious transactions potentially linked to money laundering, including the introduction of illicit cash into the financial system.
It describes the affected customer segment as narrow and says bona fide individuals are unaffected.
Earlier guidance gives way
The recommendations follow Financial Action Task Force (FATF) principles, which place identification of funding sources within customer due diligence.
The Bank of Russia says the document clarifies these procedures for financial institutions and their customers.
It also incorporates recommendations previously issued to counter the circulation of funds from unidentified sources.
The earlier recommendations on this subject are therefore superseded.
Targeted checks, not blanket controls
The guidance ties source-of-funds checks to large cash amounts and atypical customer activity.
It frames the measures as targeted money-laundering controls rather than checks on all customers.
The regulator presents them as methodological recommendations, not a new binding requirement.