Russia to require mandatory seller real-name authentication starting October 2026

On August 4th, Russian President Putin signed the "Platform Economy Law" (also known as the "E-commerce Platform Law"), which will take effect on October 1, 2026. The new regulation requires e-commerce platforms to conduct mandatory real-name authentication of sellers through the government database, and establish convenient return and exchange channels and dispute resolution mechanisms. The law prohibits platforms from selling prohibited goods, requires seller consent for discount activities, and stipulates that platforms must share transaction data with the tax authorities. The government will formulate detailed regulations for platform registration, and strengthen regulation in the e-commerce field based on standards such as the number of Russian users.