Constitutional Law Limits of Regulating Digital Rights in the Russian Federation

The paper examines the limits of regulating digital rights in the Russian Federation under Constitutional Law. The 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation, as amended in 2020, contains no provisions specifically addressing digital rights, thereby giving rise to legal uncertainty. The authors demonstrate a conflict between the State's fiscal interests and constitutional guarantees analyzing Part 6 of Article 14 of Federal Law No. 259-FZ dated 31 July 2020 «On Digital Financial Assets, Digital Currency, and Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation», which made judicial protection for holders of digital currency contingent upon notification of the Federal Tax Service. Particular attention is devoted to Ruling No. 2-P of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation dated 20 January 2026 that declared the contested provision partially inconsistent with the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The authors conclude that the constitutional principles of equality (Article 19), judicial protection (Article 46), privacy (Article 23), and freedom of economic activity (Articles 8 and 34) establish strict limits on the legislative regulation of digital rights. Proposals for improving the legislation are formulated with due regard to the legal positions of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.

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