In an effort to tackle electricity shortages, Russian officials disclosed plans to suspend cryptocurrency mining in several regions this winter. The ban will impact the Irkutsk region, portions of Buryatia, the Zabaikalsky region in Siberia, and six North Caucasus areas, including Chechnya and Dagestan. Mining will also be prohibited in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian regions of...Read More
A high-profile Russian influencer, popularly known as the “Queen of Crypto,” is under scrutiny for allegedly defrauding investors out of $22 million. According to various reports in the Russian press, Valeria Fedyakina, who made a name for herself as “Bitmama,” is accused of operating a pyramid scheme that ensnared multiple victims in only two months....Read More
Russia has sentenced Marat Tambiyev, a former mid-ranking investigator, to 16 years in jail after he was caught accepting a bribe of 1,032 bitcoins, which is currently worth around $65 million, from hackers he was investigating. The bribe originated from members of the Infraud Organization hacking group, which Tambiyev was tasked with probing while working...Read More
U.S. authorities have charged Russian citizens Sergey Sergeevich Ivanov and Timur Shakhmametov for allegedly operating a cryptocurrency money laundering service tied to Russian cybercrime. The U.S. Department of State has issued a $10 million bounty for information leading to the arrest or conviction of each. International Crackdown on Russian Cybercrime The United States Treasury, in...Read More
The Russian government will soon start trials on cryptocurrency exchanges and digital token usage for cross-border transactions. According to a Bloomberg report, they are scheduled to begin on September 1 and are aimed at alleviating payment difficulties for local companies dealing with international sanctions. Crypto Trials The tests will focus on swapping between rubles and...Read More
According to a Bloomberg Report, Russia will soon legalize the use of cryptocurrencies for payments. This move is aimed at easing the growing difficulties faced by companies in making foreign payments due to U.S. sanctions over the war in Ukraine. Details on the New Bill and Legislation On Tuesday, Lawmakers in the State Duma, Russia’s...Read More
Russian-speaking threat actors who come from former Soviet Union are the primary drivers of various types of crypto-related cybercrime, including ransomware, illegal crypto exchanges, and darknet markets, according to the latest report by TRM Labs. In fact, ransomware groups that speak Russian were also found to be responsible for at least 69% of all ransomware...Read More
The global crypto trading volume is projected to surpass $108 trillion this year, reflecting an increase of nearly 90% compared to 2022, as reported by CoinWire. Europe has taken the lead in this growing market, representing 37.32% of total crypto transaction value, and is projected to see a 2.7-fold increase this year from 2022. Russia...Read More
Amid rising geopolitical tensions and sanctions, Russia is reportedly preparing to enact a strict ban on the widespread trading of cryptocurrency assets like Bitcoin, allowing only digital financial assets to be issued within its own jurisdiction. This move is part of a broader government effort to regulate the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Only miners and projects approved...Read More
Wally Adeyemo, Undersecretary of the U.S. Treasury, released an official statement saying Russia is increasingly resorting to alternative payment methods, such as the stablecoin Tether (USDT), to evade sanctions and sustain its military operations. The hearing, titled “Countering Illicit Finance, Terrorism, and Sanctions Evasion,” marks the committee’s second discussion on the topic within the last...Read More
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has escalated its enforcement efforts by tightening its grip on individuals and entities operating within the financial services and technology sectors in Russia, particularly those involved in virtual assets, enabling evasion of US sanctions. The enforcement agency claimed that these individuals and entities played a crucial role in...Read More
CommEX, a crypto exchange that previously took over Binance’s operations in Russia after it decided to exit the country, has revealed its intention to cease operations in the country. Binance had initially announced its departure from Russia in September 2023, stating that the process would take approximately one year to complete. CommEX Announces Gradual Wind-Down...Read More
Russia, a member of the BRICS alliance, announced the development of a new blockchain-based payment system to revolutionize trade settlements. The system is set to become an independent mechanism for conducting transactions among BRICS member nations. Blockchain-Based Payment System Plans The BRICS alliance, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, plans to collaborate...Read More
Mikhail Klyukin, a Russian banker sanctioned by the White House in March 2022, sold more than £15m in shares of UK-based cryptocurrency firm Copper Technologies. The firm, chaired by former Chancellor Philip Hammond, appears to have played a significant role in the decision, raising questions about the transparency of cryptocurrency transactions and potential evasion of...Read More
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has announced the suspension of Russian ruble (RUB) deposits starting from November 15, 2023. This decision by the company comes following its recent announcement regarding the sale of its entire Russian business to CommEX. Binance to Cease Russian Ruble Deposits In a November 10 announcement, Binance said it would be stopping Russian...Read More
As FTX and its disgraced founder, Sam Bankman-Fried’s courtroom drama continued to unfold in Manhatten, revealing astonishing details that led to the crypto giant’s unraveling, elsewhere, the trail of stolen funds from the exchange has been found to have a Russian connection. FTX filed for bankruptcy on November 11, 2022. Later that day, the exchange...Read More
As Binance exits the Russian cryptocurrency market, Russian clients are transitioning their trading activities to different platforms. However, CommEX, the company that acquired Binance’s Russian business, is encountering difficulties attracting these users. This migration has been accompanied by a notable drop in peer-to-peer (P2P) trading activity, with a decline ranging from 10% to 30%, according...Read More
Binance announced the sale of its Russian entity to a relatively unknown company called CommEX, the transaction of which raised several questions and concerns within the crypto community, primarily due to the limited information available about the company and its ownership. Moreover, CommEX was officially launched on Tuesday. To address these concerns and provide clarity,...Read More
In a significant step towards tackling cybercrime and bolstering global security efforts, the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) recently collaborated with international counterparts to provide advanced training to Ukrainian law enforcement officers. The focus was on the intricacies of cryptocurrency and blockchain tracing. Strengthening Global Efforts Against Crypto-Enabled Crime Expanding on the previous successful cyber training...Read More
The Bank of Russia is contemplating 2025 to be the year when the digital ruble, the local central bank digital currency (CBDC), may see widespread adoption in the country. This move indicates the central bank’s strategic approach to modernizing the payment landscape in the nation. Olga Skorobogatova, the first deputy governor of the Bank of...Read More
Russia is working on ways to legalize and regulate decentralized financial organizations, popularly known as DAOs, to bring more liquidity within the local Digital Financial Assets (DFA) market. The Director of the Department of Financial Policy of the Ministry of Finance, Ivan Chebeskov, made the comments at the Crypto Summit 2023. Russia Legalizing DeFi DAOs...Read More
The US National Security Agency (NSA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), have released a joint report cautioning users to remain vigilant against recently discovered malware that is being deployed to target crypto wallets and exchanges. The advisory report unveiled a malware...Read More
Research conducted by the information service provider Bankinform estimated that many Russians are interested in the news surrounding the potential launch of a digital ruble. However, 32% are not in favor of such a monetary product, viewing it as some sort of scam. The world’s largest country by landmass has been among the most active...Read More
The world’s largest country by landmass is set to roll out a digital ruble next week after Russian President Vladimir Putin greenlighted the project on Thursday. The text of the bill amends Russia’s Civil Code to allow the digital ruble to be used for payments, while empowering Russia’s central bank to let real citizens use...Read More
Russia’s State Duma – the lower chamber of the local parliament – passed the digital ruble bill. The legislation defines rules surrounding the nation’s upcoming central bank digital currency, outlining the Bank of Russia as “the operator” of the project. The institution will also establish a range of users of the digital ruble platform, adjust...Read More
A year after invading Ukraine, Russia’s military fundraising groups have raised millions of dollars in cryptocurrencies despite sanctions imposed by the U.S. and other countries. While it appears that Russian military procurement and disinformation groups have raised about $4.2 million, comparatively smaller than Ukraine’s over $212 million, research by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic has discovered...Read More
The largest banking institution in Russia by assets value – Sberbank – will reportedly enable private investors to buy and sell digital currencies in the following weeks. The entity jumped on the bandwagon a few years ago, attempting to launch several cryptocurrency projects. For one, it sought approval to issue its own digital currency and...Read More
A Russian man has been charged by US authorities for his alleged connection to multiple ransomware schemes that netted him and other attackers nearly $200 million – much of which came through crypto. Some of the victims of those ransomware attacks included hospitals, schools, and police departments. $200 Million in Ransomware Payments The culprit –...Read More
The US IRS has reportedly provided advanced training to Ukrainian law enforcement agencies in an attempt to detect illegal cryptocurrency transactions carried out by Russian oligarchs and companies. Numerous entities and experts have argued that Russia could employ digital assets to evade restrictions (imposed by the Western World after the start of the military conflict...Read More
As the intersection between cryptocurrency and geopolitical conflict gains prominence, the role of digital assets in 21st-century warfare is becoming increasingly clear. The Russia-Ukraine War serves as the most notable example thus far, with both parties employing cryptocurrencies to secure donations and fund their war efforts. A shadowy Bitcoin enthusiast has seemingly turned the tables...Read More
