Category: Russia

  • Clickbait Media Uses Bitcoin and Russia to Pump Headlines Again

    Clickbait Media Uses Bitcoin and Russia to Pump Headlines Again

    In the past week or so, a number of publications, including cryptocurrency websites, but also “reputable” mainstream outlets, have given stage to a “Kremlin economist” with a bold prediction – Russia will invest billions in bitcoin to tackle U.S. sanctions, possibly triggering a new bull run as early as next month. The claim was quoted…

  • Russia Not Ready for the Petro, Proposes Plan to Aid Venezuela Without It

    Russia Not Ready for the Petro, Proposes Plan to Aid Venezuela Without It

    Acknowledging Venezuela’s efforts to deal with inflation and sanctions by creating a state-issued cryptocurrency, Russian officials have nevertheless declined a proposal to use the oil-backed coin in bilateral trade. According to Russian media, Moscow has recently offered Caracas a set of measures aimed at mending the country’s economy but the petro is not among the…

  • Pavel Durov Closes UK-Based Company Telegram Messenger LLP

    Pavel Durov Closes UK-Based Company Telegram Messenger LLP

    Russian-born entrepreneur Pavel Durov is liquidating Telegram Messenger LLP, the Britain-based company behind the popular messaging service Telegram. The same entity is registered as the messenger’s operator in the Russian Federation, where Telegram is currently banned. Also read: 5 Crypto Exchanges Have Been Licensed in Gibraltar Since Regulation Application for Voluntary Strike Off Filed in…

  • Cryptocurrency Exchanges Eye Russia for Expansion Despite Sanctions

    Cryptocurrency Exchanges Eye Russia for Expansion Despite Sanctions

    Sanctions imposed by governments as part of geopolitical struggles do not always filter through to under-regulated industries. Ambitious businesses covet every opportunity for expansion and diversification. That seems to be the reason why a growing number of crypto exchanges are turning their attention to Russia and its diaspora, despite the disapprobation this risks drawing from…

  • Thousands of Banned Binance Customers Remain Cut off by the Exchange

    Thousands of Banned Binance Customers Remain Cut off by the Exchange

    Binance, the world’s second largest digital asset exchange by traded volume, has withdrawn its services from countries targeted by U.S. economic sanctions, in line with its controversial revised terms of use. However, the ban affects entire populations in countries such as Zimbabwe, where U.S. restrictions are supposed to specifically target individuals and companies. Also read: Bitcoin…

  • Bitcoin Primely Positioned as U.S. Foreign Policy Pushes Rivals to Ditch Dollar

    Bitcoin Primely Positioned as U.S. Foreign Policy Pushes Rivals to Ditch Dollar

    As President Donald Trump presides over geopolitical shape-shifting as the poster boy of separatist politics, the most significant clapback yet may be loss of confidence in the U.S. dollar. The dollar has been politically weaponized in the service of American interests and now other global powerhouses are betting on taking back control of their economies…

  • Russians See Growing Number of Options to Buy Cryptocurrencies

    Russians See Growing Number of Options to Buy Cryptocurrencies

    Interest towards cryptocurrencies in Russia remained relatively stable throughout 2018, despite the significant drop in their prices. Ruble-denominated trade on Localbitcoins, for example, has shown a generally positive trend since last spring. In the past year, Russians also saw a growing number of other options to purchase digital coins. Also read: Abkhazia Temporarily Shuts Down…

  • Russian Bitcoin Mining Granny Is Bullish on the Industry’s Future

    Russian Bitcoin Mining Granny Is Bullish on the Industry’s Future

    A residential block of red bricks stretches unambitiously under the freezing sky of Irkutsk, in the Russian province of Siberia. Inside, a series of small bitcoin mining machines are running on cheap electricity, as grandmother Valeriya’s family of domestic miners, a bullish bunch, stack up a potential fortune for the future. Also read: Skeptical Payoneer CEO…

  • Huobi and Major Russian Bank to Provide Legal Help to the Crypto Industry

    Huobi and Major Russian Bank to Provide Legal Help to the Crypto Industry

    The recently established Russian subsidiary of global cryptocurrency exchange Huobi and Vnesheconombank, Russia’s state-owned development bank, are now partnering to offer crypto companies legal support and advice. The newly created “legal lab” will also represent blockchain businesses in court. Also read: German Startup Devises Eco-Friendly Energy-Efficient Miners Legal Lab to Assist Crypto Companies in Russian…

  • Maduro’s Promotion of the Petro Yet to Yield Results

    Maduro’s Promotion of the Petro Yet to Yield Results

    Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been tirelessly promoting the petro, ever since his administration announced the creation of what is now considered the first state-issued cryptocurrency. Although no one is really sure whether the coin actually works, Venezuelans have already seen their salaries denominated in the national crypto and their pensions converted to petro. Imposing…