Exchange in the Cloud: The Infrastructure Behind TsTS Exchange
Russia has launched its first licensed exchange whose entire core infrastructure runs in the cloud. The commodity exchange Birzha TsTS (TsTS Exchange) built its trading platform using K2 Cloud, a division of K2Tech, demonstrating how cloud-native infrastructure is expanding into highly regulated financial markets.
The platform has received Protection Level 1 (UZ-1) certification – Russia's highest information security classification – helping safeguard sensitive data from leaks. Its trading and clearing system is distributed across three availability zones, a configuration designed to maximize fault tolerance and validated through operational testing.
Cloud-First From Day One
TsTS Exchange received its exchange license two years ago. Today, it serves more than 1,500 companies across key sectors of the Russian economy, including agriculture, metallurgy, petrochemicals, construction materials, forestry, and others. While still relatively small – trading volume exceeded RUB 16 billion (approximately USD 205 million) last year – the exchange has positioned itself as a technology-driven marketplace.
Its operations are powered by the proprietary Tsentralnaya torgovaya sistema (Central Trading System) software developed by TsTS Exchange. The platform is included in the Ministry of Digital Development's official register of Russian software. From the outset, the exchange adopted a cloud-native architecture. That decision enabled it to move into production much more quickly because K2 already possessed the certifications required to process personal data and complied with all applicable information security requirements, significantly reducing the time needed to obtain regulatory approvals.
"A key factor behind the project's success was the close collaboration between our engineering teams. Many technical solutions were developed jointly during the design phase, allowing us to identify potential risks early and prepare the infrastructure for production deployment in advance," said Sergey Zinkevich, CEO of K2 Cloud.
Hybrid Models Gain Momentum
Russian companies, including many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), are increasingly adopting cloud infrastructure. Around 70% now choose hybrid architectures, keeping mission-critical data within private environments while moving compute resources and testing environments to secure clouds that comply with the requirements of the Bank of Russia and FSTEC (Federal Service for Technical and Export Control). According to research conducted by Yakov and Partners LLC together with Yandex B2B Tech, that approach delivers measurable economic benefits by reducing pressure on in-house IT teams while improving productivity. In the TsTS project, for example, software release cycles were reduced fourfold – from one hour to just 15 minutes. For the broader market, that provides another argument for migrating systems operated by financial institutions, insurers, large industrial companies, electronic trading platforms, and logistics providers to cloud infrastructure.
Cloud Migration Accelerates
Cloud adoption across Russia's financial sector has been steadily expanding. In 2022, Blank Bank and Absolut Bank began using Yandex Cloud to scale services and test new products while keeping mission-critical systems within their own environments. In 2023, Tsifra Bank migrated selected IT services to Softline Cloud, while VTB continued developing its internal cloud platform to unify infrastructure. In 2024, full-cycle IT provider RTK-TsOD introduced Oblako KII (Critical Infrastructure Cloud), an import-independent cloud platform designed for critical infrastructure operators. Rosbank Insurance also migrated its insurance platform to a secure Russian cloud. The launch of TsTS Exchange's cloud-based trading infrastructure represents the next logical step in that broader transition.
Moving Toward an Ecosystem Model
The Birzha TsTS project currently remains the country's only example of placing the core infrastructure of a licensed exchange on the platform of an external cloud provider. Over the next two to three years, however, similar deployments are likely to emerge among smaller banks, insurance companies, and industry-specific trading platforms seeking cloud infrastructure that provides access to innovative technologies capable of significantly improving operational efficiency and competitive advantage. The largest market participants will likely continue relying on hybrid architectures because of the scale of their operations and the need for complete infrastructure control. Regardless of deployment model, the shift from isolated infrastructure toward interconnected digital ecosystems is expected to support the continued evolution of Russia's digital economy.
