Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, is testing decentralized finance (DeFi) tools under close regulatory oversight. Sberbank has begun testing DeFi tools amid growing customer interest in cryptocurrencies. Anatol Popov, deputy chairman of Sberbank's governing board, confirmed in an interview with Russian business media RBC that the bank is piloting several DeFi-related solutions. He emphasized that the development of any digital asset product will be carried out in close cooperation with regulators. This approach aims to align innovation with legal certainty. Popov also stated that traditional banking services and decentralized finance models are gradually merging. However, he declined to name the specific DeFi platforms involved in the pilot projects. Sberbank's cautious move comes at a time of increasing demand for cryptocurrencies from the Russian banking sector. Furthermore, the anticipated clearer regulatory framework by 2026 further reinforces this trend. The bank's size also makes its strategic shift more significant. Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, has approximately 109 million retail customers and over 3 million corporate clients, with an estimated market capitalization of $83 billion. Popov noted that many of these clients are actively seeking simple and reliable ways to access their crypto assets.