Power Outages in Russia’s Irkutsk Region Blamed on Home Miners

Russians mining cryptocurrency in their homes have been blamed for the problems with the electricity supply in Irkutsk. Power outages have become a frequent occurrence in the region which maintains the lowest electricity rates in Russia. Subsidized household energy has turned mining into a source of income for many locals. Electricity Consumption Spikes Amid Spread … Read more

Sberbank Launches First Blockchain ETF in Russia

Russian banking giant Sberbank has presented the country’s first exchange-traded fund (ETF) giving investors access to the blockchain space. The new instrument holds securities of companies dealing with cryptocurrencies and the technologies that underpin them. Sberbank Introduces ETF Tracking Blockchain Economy Index The largest banking and financial services provider in Russia and the post-Soviet space, … Read more

Ex-Head of Crypto Exchange Wex Released in Poland

Former chief executive of the Russian cryptocurrency exchange Wex, Dmitry Vasiliev, has been released from arrest in Warsaw earlier this month. The ex-head of the now-defunct coin trading platform has since returned to Russia while court proceedings against him in Poland are still ongoing. Polish Court Rejects Extradition of Wex Executive to Kazakhstan Authorities in … Read more

Bank of Russia to Collect Data on Crypto-Related Transactions Between Individuals

The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) plans to obtain information from commercial banks pertaining to some money transfers between private individuals, including clients trading cryptocurrency. The measure is likely to affect online crypto exchangers which the regulator accuses of conducting illegal operations. Central Bank to Check Transactions Between Russians Exchanging Crypto As part of efforts … Read more

Bank of Russia Wants to Restrict Crypto Investments by Blocking Card Payments, Report Reveals

The Central Bank of Russia is currently reviewing various ways to prevent Russians from investing in cryptocurrency. One the options on the table is to block card payments to certain recipients such as crypto exchanges, a media report has unveiled. A recent meeting at the State Duma has indicated, however, that the authority’s hardline stance … Read more