Tag Archives: russia

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 six months. Russia Employs Tether to Evade Sanctions In his testimony, Ademayo...

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 facilitating transactions or providing services aimed at aiding other designated entities in...

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 of Operations In a post on X, CommEX Russia mentioned that the exchange will wind down operations gradually...

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 on developing a payment system utilizing blockchain technology and digital innovations....

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 RUB deposits as of 00:00 on November 15, 2023 (UTC), marking a crucial step in its decision to exit the Russian...

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, Binance CEO Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao took to X (formerly Twitter) to provide insights into the deal and its...

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 given to Ukrainian law enforcement in May, the...

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 Russia, emphasized that the digital ruble is viewed as an additional payment method alongside existing options like the Faster Payments...

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 campaign conducted by Russian cyber actors against the Ukrainian military. Russian...

CoinspeakerOKX and Bybit Remove 2 Russian Banks from Payments List, Here’s Why The spotlight recently came on sanctioned Russian banks after they were spotted as payment options on some top crypto exchanges. OKX and Bybit Remove 2 Russian Banks from Payments List, Here’s Why