Putin on Dedollarization: 80% of Russia-China Trade in Rubles and Yuan

Russian President Vladimir Putin highlights economic integration and dedollarization at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council meeting, chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We are making wider use of national currencies for mutual settlements,” Putin stated, adding that over 80% of commercial transactions between Russia and the People’s Republic of China … Read more

Russia in the Process of Regulating the Use of Stablecoins for Cross-Border Settlements

Russia is considering adding the subject of stablecoins to an upcoming bill, allowing them to be used officially for completing cross-border payments. Alexey Guznov, Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia, declared that proposals have already been presented and the issue is now being discussed. The Ministry of Finance also confirmed that this is being … Read more

US Dollar Retains Global Dominance Despite BRICS Efforts, Reveals Atlantic Council Report

Despite concerted efforts by the BRICS nations to decrease global dependence on the U.S. dollar, the fiat currency remains the dominant force in the world economy, a new study from the Atlantic Council’s Geoeconomics Center finds. The report underscores the challenges of de-dollarization amidst geopolitical tensions. U.S. Dollar Holds Firm as Global Reserve Leader The … Read more

US Lawmaker Proposes Stricter Digital Asset Regulations to Enforce Russian Sanctions

U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman has proposed an amendment designed to enhance the enforcement of sanctions on Russian digital assets. The amendment allows the Treasury Secretary to prohibit crypto transactions linked to Russian entities and requires U.S. taxpayers to report crypto transactions offshore exceeding $10,000 to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). New Amendment Seeks to … Read more

US Treasury Expands Sanctions to Cripple Russian War Economy

The U.S. Treasury Department announced Wednesday that over 300 new sanctions have been issued to intensify pressure on Russia for its ongoing war against Ukraine. These measures, in alignment with G7 commitments, target entities and individuals globally to cripple Russia’s military-industrial base by restricting access to U.S. software, IT services, and foreign financial support. The … Read more

Russia Set to Recognize Bitcoin Mining as Economic Activity

According to Osman Kabaloev, the Deputy Director of the Financial Policy Department at Russia’s Ministry of Finance, the recognition of Bitcoin mining as an official economic activity is set to happen soon. Following the approval of a law regulating cryptocurrency mining, this activity would be assigned an OKVED code, which classifies company activities for licensing … Read more

30 Countries Seek to Join BRICS, Russian Ambassador to China Says

Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov disclosed that approximately 30 countries are interested in joining the BRICS economic bloc in an opinion piece published by the South China Morning Post last week. BRICS welcomed five new members in January: Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia. Last week, Russian Presidential Spokesman … Read more

Companies Turn to Crypto for Payments as G7 and EU Mull Sanctions on Russian SWIFT Equivalent

Some Russian companies have turned to using crypto to settle payments and protect themselves from potential secondary sanctions from Western countries. At least two top metal producers have transacted using USDT, the largest stablecoin in the crypto market, as the G7 and the EU mull more sanctions against alternatives for these operations. Crypto Used as … Read more

‘Really Stupid and a Huge Mistake:’ Putin Blasts US Actions Blocking Payments to China; Exporters Turn to Small Banks and Crypto

Russian President Vladimir Putin charged against the U.S. actions seeking to block Russian payments to China and other countries. During a two-day trip to China, the Russian leader emphasized that this strategy was “really stupid and a huge mistake,” considering that these actions affected the status of the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency. Russian … Read more

Western Banks Face Major Asset Seizure in Russia Amid Gazprom Subsidiary Dispute

In a significant move against western banks, a St Petersburg court has seized over $763 million of assets from Unicredit, Deutsche Bank, and Commerzbank, following a dispute with a subsidiary of Gazprom. This seizure, one of the largest since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, includes $504 million of Unicredit’s assets, equivalent to about 4.5% of its … Read more