Russian Businesses to Choose Which Crypto to Use for Cross-Border Settlements, Lawmaker Says

Russian companies may start transacting in cryptocurrency with partners abroad as early as next year and will be free to pick the coin they want to use, officials in Moscow have indicated. The sanctioned country is preparing to legalize foreign trade settlements with digital assets and this could happen in the coming months. Russian Government … Read more

Singapore Seeks Detailed Information From Crypto Firms Ahead of New Regulations, Report Unveils

Financial authorities in Singapore are taking steps toward increased oversight in the crypto space with the city-state’s central bank reportedly asking companies to provide additional information about their activities and assets. Ahead of a possible broadening of the applicable rules, the authority is trying to get a clearer idea of their financial state, knowledgeable sources … Read more

Uzbekistan Moves to Block Foreign Cryptocurrency Exchanges

Authorities in Uzbekistan are restricting access to online crypto trading platforms based outside the country and not registered under its laws. A presidential decree obliges citizens and local companies to only use digital asset exchanges licensed by the government of the Central Asian nation. Uzbekistan Takes Steps to Prevent Crypto Trading and Custody on Foreign … Read more

Financial Companies Report First Deal With Digital Assets Under Russian Law

Two companies have carried out Russia’s first transactions with digital financial assets as defined by the country’s current legislation. The deal involved the tokenization of debt issued by a third party and its subsequent acquisition. Russian Companies Conduct Issue and Placement of Digital Financial Assets VTB Factoring, a subsidiary of Russian majority state-owned Vneshtorgbank (VTB), … Read more

Bank of Spain Has Registered 17 Crypto Companies, Big Names Still Missing

The Bank of Spain has already included 17 virtual asset service providers in its own registry, in which cryptocurrency exchanges and custody providers must be listed to operate, according to Spanish law. Three new companies were included last week, but big names in the crypto ecosystem are still not registered. Bank of Spain Crypto Registry … Read more

Russia’s First Digital Financial Assets Expected This Year, Lawmaker Says

The first digital financial assets based on Russian blockchains may be issued as early as this year, a high-ranking parliamentarian announced. Three platforms are already registered as issuers, said Anatoly Aksakov, who chairs the Financial Market Committee at the State Duma, the lower house of Russian parliament. Russian Digital Financial Assets Likely to Appear by … Read more

US Sanctions Bitriver, Targets Russia’s Crypto Mining Potential

In an attempt to deny Russia opportunities to evade sanctions through cryptocurrencies, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has sanctioned leading Russian mining firm Bitriver. The move comes amid concerns that Moscow may use the minting of digital coins to monetize its energy resources. Zug-Based Bitriver and Its Russian Subsidiaries Blacklisted by United States The … Read more

Paypal Joins Other Payment and Remittance Providers Suspending Services in Russia

A number of payment and remittance platforms, now including Paypal, have restricted access to their services in Russia as western sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine continue to expand. Fintech companies have been limiting operations in the Russian Federation also in response to Kyiv’s call for help. Payments Giant Paypal Halts Services in Russia, Maintains … Read more

Iran to Permit Use of Cryptocurrencies in International Settlements, Reports Reveal

Authorities in Iran are preparing to allow the employment of cryptocurrencies for international settlements. According to local media, central bank and government officials have given the green light to adopt a mechanism using digital coins in the field of foreign trade. Businesses in Iran to Be Able to Pay Foreign Partners With Crypto Iranian companies … Read more

Cryptocurrency Draft Law Presented in Peru

A draft of a new cryptocurrency asset law was introduced in Peru in December, seeking to regulate the cryptocurrency interactions that are already happening in the country. The draft law, besides defining what a crypto asset is and establishing the duties of virtual asset service providers (VASPs), also seeks to legalize the use of assets … Read more