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
The cryptocurrency exchange – Bitzlato – enabled customers to withdraw up to 50% of their bitcoin funds stuck on the venue. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) closed the firm in January for allegedly processing more than $700 million worth of illegal funds and arrested its founder – Anatoly Legkodymov. Granting Some Access The company revealed...Read More
The US authorities alleged Vladimir Okhotnikov, Olena Oblamska, Mikhail Sergeev, and Sergey Maslakov – the founders of the dubious cryptocurrency investment platform Forsage – to have orchestrated a global pyramid scheme that conned investors with approximately $340 million. All defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and could receive a maximum penalty of...Read More
Blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs revealed that some major Russian-linked ransomware syndicates rebranded their activities in 2022 to avoid sanctions from Western countries. According to a new report published recently, the rebranding and other significant activities showed notable changes in the cybercrime space and darknet markets (DNMs) after Russia invaded Ukraine. Ransomware Operators Rebranded to...Read More
Several countries have been planning to explore stablecoins despite the initial reluctance and more recent implosion of Terra. The latest one to jump on the bandwagon is one of Australia’s four largest financial institutions – National Australia Bank (NAB). The new Australian dollar-pegged stablecoin created by NAB, dubbed AUDN, is set to be launched on...Read More
The Russian government and the Central Bank of Iran are reportedly mulling a partnership to create a new stablecoin that can facilitate cross-border settlements. The token will be pegged to the valuation of gold. The Mutual Operation According to a report by the Russian media outlet Vedomosti, the local authorities could collaborate with Iran’s central bank...Read More
Dmitry Medvedev – a Russian politician who served as President of the country between 2008 and 2012 – thinks 2023 could see the crash of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. He suggested that such an event could reduce the power of the euro and the dollar and boost the usage of...Read More
A new report by Kommersant revealed that sales of Bitcoin mining machines in the country surged rapidly in the fourth quarter, a trend backed by a resurgence of demand, despite the chaotic price action of the crypto-asset. The substantial increase was also spurred by cheap equipment and electricity prices. Chilkoot, which happens to be one...Read More
Priorities change according to the events, and Russia’s president may be taking notice. In a recent speech at the Artificial Intelligence Journey 2022 international AI and machine learning conference, Vladimir Putin spoke of the advantages of using a global payment system based on blockchain technology. For President Putin, the primary advantage would be the ability...Read More
The lower chamber of Russia’s parliament – State Duma – has reportedly started working on a draft bill that could aid the creation of a “national crypto exchange.” The platform needs the approval of the country’s central bank and the Ministry of Finance. The Bank of Russia has previously shown its negative stance on the...Read More
Crypto adoption is shooting through the roof despite the bear market and uncertainty surrounding asset prices, according to recent findings from the leading decentralized application (dApp) analytics platform DappRadar. The analysis, dubbed the Blockchain Behavior Report, outlined major trends that affected the blockchain space in the last quarter, including regions where crypto adoption accelerated in both...Read More
The US-based cryptocurrency exchange – Kraken – joined the list of platforms restricting services to Russian consumers. The decision comes as a result of the latest sanctions that the European Union (EU) imposed on the largest country by landmass for its invasion of Ukraine. Other trading venues that have already ended ties with Russian users...Read More
On October 19, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) accused two Venezuelan citizens and five Russians of using cryptocurrencies to launder money for Russian oligarchs by selling oil barrels from sanctions-hit Venezuela. According to the press release, the defendants smuggled millions of barrels of oil to Russia and China, laundering “tens of millions of...Read More
After CryptoCom, the crypto service platform – BlockchainCom – has announced plans to restrict Russia-based users. In an email to its users, the company notified that it will block the accounts of Russians. The move comes after the European Union’s (EU) eighth package of sanctions against Russia. According to the news agency RBC’s latest report,...Read More
A new study shows that over 18% of all crypto received by Eastern Europe comes from addresses associated with risky or illicit activity, far more than any other region. With the biggest news in the region being Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, both countries have seen a steady increase in cryptocurrency transfers. Prominent blockchain intelligence company,...Read More
The blockchain-based gaming company – Dapper Labs – stopped servicing all accounts with connections to Russia, but they are still able to access and view their non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The move comes as a result of the latest sanctions that the European Union imposed on Russia due to the ongoing military conflict with Ukraine. ‘Consistent...Read More
Pro-Russian outfits have resorted to digital asset funds in a bid to support the war efforts against Ukraine while evading international sanctions. A new report suggests that these groups are raising a massive amount of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies via crowdfunding campaigns. According to Chris Janczewski, head of global investigations at TRM Labs, the blockchain...Read More
The President of Kazakhstan – Kassym-Jomart Tokayev – said the authorities are ready to introduce a mechanism that will allow the converting of cryptocurrencies to cash if there is enough demand for such services. The positive tone toward the digital asset industry comes days after nearly 100,000 Russians entered Kazakhstan to escape the partial military...Read More
The Bank of Russia and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation (MiFin) have agreed that crypto mining should be allowed only in certain areas. According to a new report by RBC-Crypto, Russian officials are preparing to legalize mining activity only in energy-rich regions and aim to ban the niche in energy-scarce ones. The...Read More
Russia is on course to launch its CBDC early next year and use the new currency in mutual settlements with China that has already tested its digital Yuan, a senior Russian lawmaker said in an interview. The move aims at reducing the US hegemony over the global financial system, media reports said. Russian CBDC to Take on...Read More
Former NSA contractor and famous whistle-blower Edward Snowden was granted Russian citizenship by President Vladimir, as reported by the state-run news agency TASS on Monday. His name was included on a list of 71 other foreigners who also became citizens. Snowden applied for citizenship alongside his wife in 2020 after receiving permanent residency rights, citing...Read More
After reconsidering its position on cryptocurrencies following the outbreak of the war, Russia is now looking to enable provisions for digital assets trading. Moscow Exchange, the largest exchange organization in the country, is looking to enable trading in digital financial assets (DFAs) and securities trading based on a set of bills currently being prepared. Per...Read More
Russia’s central bank and Ministry of Finance have agreed on legislation to enable cross-border payments using cryptocurrency, according to a report from the Russian outlet Kommersant on Wednesday. The policy change is reportedly intended to let Russian nationals access digital wallets. Taking Advantage of Blockchain According to Russian Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Moiseev, the bill...Read More
The United States Treasury Department added five cryptocurrency addresses to its sanctions blacklist. All wallets are connected to the Russian neo-Nazi paramilitary group – Task Force Rusich – that has participated in the Ukraine war. Prior to that, the Department sanctioned the Ethereum-based cryptocurrency mixer – Tornado Cash – and Blender.io (a software tied to...Read More
The leading global accounting firm – KPMG International – claimed in one of its recent reports that the cryptocurrency market has displayed growing maturity in the past several months. This comes despite the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the record inflation that spreads in some countries. It is also worth noting that...Read More
In a rather swift departure from its prewar crypto stance, the Bank of Russia is weighing in on the possibility of legalizing crypto for facilitating cross-border payments in the near future. As local news agency TASS reported, the country’s central bank and the Ministry of Finance have agreed that “it is impossible to do without...Read More
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanction Implementation (OFSI) has included “cryptoassets” in a list of assets that must be frozen if they belong to a person or company who is facing sanctions. These developments come as the list of sanctioned Russian entities continue to increase. Eye on Sanctioned Accounts, Breaches As per the new...Read More
Tornado Cash was added to the US sanctions list by the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) on August 8. Two days later, Alexey Pertsev, a coder tied to the crypto mixing service, was arrested by Dutch authorities. The blacklisting and the subsequent events sparked an outcry from privacy proponents, with many protesting and engaging...Read More
