Russia’s Sber eyes USDT loans, questions digital ruble demand

Sberbank is reportedly exploring issuing loans denominated in USDT while questioning domestic demand for a state digital ruble. The move signals that major Russian financial institutions may prefer established stablecoins to a nascent CBDC if customer appetite is weak. For Bitcoin, increased stablecoin lending would likely boost on-chain liquidity and crypto market depth, which can support BTC’s role as collateral and store of value. However, greater stablecoin use also raises regulatory and sanctions risks that could complicate flows into and out of the Bitcoin market.