Small Russian banks are encountering significant financial hurdles in joining the country's central bank digital currency (CBDC) platform, according to a recent report by local media outlet, Kommersant. The report claimed that the integration costs, ranging from ₽120 million to over ₽200 million ($1.3 million to $2.2 million), exceed the ...
The BRICS nation bloc—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has officially launched its highly anticipated cross-border payment system, "BRICS Pay." The blockchain-based platform, designed to streamline transactions among member nations, was unveiled on October 17 at the ongoing BRICS Business Forum in Moscow. Attendees at the event were given demo ...
The Russian government has established a focus group under an experimental legal framework to explore the use of cryptocurrency for foreign trade payments, according to a report by local media outlet Vedomosti on September 17, 2024. The focus group includes representatives from the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the ...
Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has raised concerns about the potential use of domestic crypto exchanges by the Russian government to evade international sanctions. In a recent report, the firm highlighted two crypto platforms, Garantex and Exved, as potential resources for Russia to facilitate cross-border trade despite ongoing financial restrictions. According ...
Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, will start offering the country's central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital ruble, to its customers by early 2025. Anatoly Popov, Deputy Chief Executive of Sberbank, reportedly confirmed the bank's involvement, alongside around 20 other financial institutions, in the second phase of the Bank of Russia ...
Russia's central bank is considering proposing a legal amendment to create a new class of investors labelled "qualified investors," who would be allowed to trade cryptocurrencies. In an interview published today, Monday, August 26, 2024, in the Russian state newspaper Izvestia, Alexey Guznov, the state secretary and deputy governor of ...
Russia is reportedly preparing to launch two new cryptocurrency exchanges, one in St. Petersburg and the other in Moscow, with a focus on stablecoin development. According to Kommersant, the St. Petersburg exchange may leverage the infrastructure of the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange, while the Moscow exchange's framework is still ...
El Salvador has proposed using Bitcoin for trade with Russia to overcome financial transaction limitations imposed by sanctions. This revelation came from Alexander Ilyukhin, First Secretary of the Russian Embassy in Nicaragua and Head of the Office in El Salvador, in an exclusive interview with State media outlet Izvestia. Ilyukhin ...
The Bank of Russia is exploring the possibility of legalizing stablecoins for cross-border transactions, a move that could provide alternative trading avenues amid ongoing economic sanctions. Alexei Guznov, deputy governor of the central bank, revealed this development in an interview with the state newspaper Izvestia. Guznov explained that discussions and ...
The European Council has unveiled its 14th package of sanctions, focusing on crypto providers outside Europe that support Russia's defense-industrial base. This latest round of measures aims to tighten restrictions on key sectors of the Russian economy, including energy, finance, and trade. According to a press release, the Council has ...
