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US Authorities Bust Billion-Dollar Crypto Laundering Network, Charge 2 Russians
27.9.2024
Two Russian nationals have been charged with running a massive money laundering network that processed billions through cryptocurrency exchanges, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced. These exchanges, including Cryptex and Joker’s Stash, enabled criminals to bypass regulations and funnel...
Global Effort Disrupts Russia Linked Network Using Crypto to Evade Sanctions, U.S. Charges Two Russians
27.9.2024
Russian nationals Sergey Ivanov and Timur Shakhmametov have been charged for their involvement in operating money laundering services that catered to cybercriminals using cryptocurrencies, U.S. authorities announced on Thursday
87% of Russians Aware of Cryptocurrency, 42% Familiar With Hamster Kombat, Survey Shows
24.7.2024
A survey by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center reveals high awareness of cryptocurrency among Russians but limited knowledge of the Telegram game Hamster Kombat. Despite 87% being aware of cryptocurrency, only 42% know of Hamster Kombat. The game’s popularity is mainly among...
2 Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty in Lockbit Ransomware Case
20.7.2024
Two foreign nationals pleaded guilty in Newark federal court regarding their participation in the Lockbit ransomware organization, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Thursday. Russian citizen Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov and Mikhail Vasiliev, a dual citizen of Canada and Russia, were...
Philippines Charges 2 Russians in $6.2 Million XRP Theft
15.7.2024
The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged two Russian nationals with stealing PHP340 million ($6.2 million) worth of XRP cryptocurrency from a local crypto exchange. The suspects allegedly hacked Coins.ph’s system to commit the theft. The DOJ emphasized the importance...
Bank of Russia: Russians Transacted $51 Billion in Crypto During 2023
2.4.2024
The Bank of Russia noted that Russian nationals transacted $51 billion (4.78 trillion rubles) in crypto during 2023. According to an annual report issued by the bank, its investigations found that volume flows equivalent to the number, especially in bitcoin and ether, were attributed to Russian...
New EU Sanctions Package Preclude Russians From Owning Crypto Companies
21.12.2023
The European Union said Russian nationals from owning or controlling crypto service providers under the bloc’s twelfth package of restrictive measures against the country. According to the EU, diamonds entering its will now have to be traced from “the mine to the finger” and this...
Russians Turn their Backs on Cash, Study Shows – Good News for CBDC & Crypto Adoption?
13.12.2023
Source: hodim/Adobe More Russians are rejecting cash in favor of “non-cash” payments, a study has found – as crypto adoption increases and the nation prepares for a CBDC launch. Glavportal reported that “the share of non-cash turnover in Russia reached 64.2% in the third quarter of 2023,” per...
‘All Russians’ Will Be Able to Use Digital Ruble in 2024 – Moscow
11.12.2023
Source: petert2/Adobe The Russian government wants to fast-track the launch of the digital ruble – and now claims that all citizens will be able to use the CBDC in 2024. The Central Bank has previously claimed that Russians may have to wait until 2027 for a full nationwide rollout. But in recent...
Number of Russians Trading Crypto Is Falling, Says Central Bank
5.12.2023
Source: prokop.photo/Adobe Russia’s Central Bank says there has been a drop in the number of citizens trading crypto – with citizens staying away from major overseas trading platforms. Per RBC, the bank’s data shows Russians’ crypto activity “decreased in the second and third quarters of 2023.”...
Here’s How Russians Dodge Sanctions to Use Int’l Crypto Exchanges
16.11.2023
Russian crypto holders have reportedly used simple workarounds to evade sanctions – and trade on overseas crypto exchanges. In the wake of the war in Ukraine, Western leaders have imposed sanctions on most leading Russian banks. Account holders at these banks, thus, are effectively blocked from...
Russians Will Be Able to ‘Withdraw’ Digital Rubles as Cash at ATMs
9.11.2023
Source: motortion/Adobe A major Russian bank has created a solution that lets digital ruble holders perform real-time “withdrawal”-type cash conversions at ATMs. Per Izvestia, VTB Bank has developed a solution that lets CBDC holders instantly convert their digital rubles to banknotes at any of...
Russian Crypto Exchange Moves Money for Gaza Groups, Report
16.10.2023
Palestinian militant organizations, including a Hamas-linked Islamist group, have been using a Moscow-based crypto exchange to transfer millions, a press report revealed. The U.S.-sanctioned platform, which allows customers to convert Russian cash to crypto and then withdraw fiat abroad, has been...
Binance Removes Sanctioned Russian Banks From P2P Platform
28.8.2023
Crypto exchange Binance has dropped Russian banks under sanctions from the payment options on its peer-to-peer (P2P) platform. Russian traders can no longer use cards issued by these banks to make payments while transactions in foreign fiat currencies are also restricted for them. Binance No Longer...
Digital Ruble Scammers ‘Target Russians in Multiple Regions’
28.8.2023
Digital ruble scammers have reportedly struck in multiple Russian regions, with fraudsters apparently hoping to dupe citizens who do not yet fully understand how the CBDC works.
Media outlets around the country say that scammers are sending citizens emails that use commercial and Central Bank...
Only 2 % of Russians Ready to Keep All Their Savings in Digital Ruble: Poll
27.8.2023
While over half of Russians are willing to put some money into their nation’s digital ruble, only 2% say they would keep all their savings in it. Insufficient information and fear of system failures are among the biggest factors turning people away from the government-issued digital currency....
Binance Renames Russian Bank Cards Amid US Sanctions Probe, Report
26.8.2023
Crypto exchange Binance has replaced the names of cards issued by Russian banks with colors, Russian media revealed amid reports of a U.S. investigation into potential sanctions violations. The changes concern the ruble exchange feature on Binance’s peer-to-peer platform. Russian Traders on Binance...
Only 17% of Russians would agree to store more than $200 in CBDC
25.8.2023
The most common hindrances cited include insufficient information about the technology (22%) and concerns about cybertheft and system failures (21%)
600 Russians to Trial CBDC Next Week – Digital Ruble Pilot Begins
10.8.2023
The Russian digital ruble pilot proper will begin next week, says the country’s Central Bank, with 600 citizens set to become the first people in the nation to use the CBDC.
The bank said that the first transactions with the CBDC would be conducted on August 15, and that the pilot would initially...
Most Russians Wary of Digital Ruble, Survey Finds – Blow for Moscow’s CBDC?
9.8.2023
Most Russian citizens say they distrust or have no interest in using the digital ruble, Russia’s CBDC, a survey has found.
The survey was carried out by the media outlet and information service provider BankInform, which asked its subscribers to give their thoughts on the CBDC.
The coin...