Provided are an electrolyte for a redox flow battery, the electrolyte allowing suppression of generation of precipitate and suppression of generation of hydrogen during a battery reaction; and a redox flow battery including the electrolyte. In the electrolyte for a redox flow battery, the total concentration of impurity element ions contributing to generation of precipitate during a battery reaction is 220 mass ppm or less, and the total concentration of platinum-group element ions is 4.5 mass ppm or less. In a case where the impurity element ions contributing to generation of precipitate include metal element ions, the total concentration of the metal element ions may be 195 mass ppm or less.