On paid and gratuitous crowdfunding and the need for legal regulation of gratuitous crowdfunding using digital platforms in Russia

The article examines the current state of legal regulation of crowdfunding in Russia. Despite some decline in activity in 2025, commercial crowdfunding (mainly investment) continues to be the main method of alternative project financing and is quite actively used by Russian and foreign investors. The author of the article focuses on the special legislative regulation in Russia of only paid (investment) crowdfunding. Unlike investment crowdfunding, activities in the field of non-commercial (gratuitous) crowdfunding remain without special legislative regulation, which requires the development of appropriate approaches taking into account the specifics of legal relations in the information and telecommunications network "Internet". The author pays attention to the legal aspects of gratuitous crowdfunding, which can be qualified through a gift agreement and an agreement on the donation of property or property rights. A distinction is made between a donation and a charitable donation. It is concluded that a charitable donation cannot be included in gratuitous crowdfunding due to the possibility of making a charitable donation on a reimbursable basis, including on preferential terms.