US Treasury Sanctions Cambodian Tycoon Over Crypto Fraud and Trafficking Links

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on Cambodian tycoon Ly Yong Phat and his businesses, linking them to human trafficking and forced labor scams involving cryptocurrency fraud. Victims were manipulated into online scam centers, and trafficked workers were forced into labor for these schemes. The sanctions freeze U.S.-based assets and prohibit transactions, … Read more

Over $55 Billion in Settlements Between Russia and Turkey Potentially Disrupted by Recent Western Sanctions

Trade settlements between Russia and Turkey via bank transfers are now being disrupted due to the new sanctions enacted against Russia. According to Russian media, the U.S. is currently checking all sources of transfers to and from Russia, and bank headquarters are heavily scrutinizing Russian citizens opening bank accounts in the country. Settlements Between Russia … Read more

Russia Expands Digital Ruble Pilot With New Features: Widespread Use Expected in 2025

Russia’s central bank is expanding its digital currency pilot program, involving 9,000 individuals and 1,200 companies. New features for the digital ruble, including payments via QR code, will be tested. Full-scale implementation is expected by late 2025. According to officials, demand for the digital ruble is growing, with successful integration anticipated due to ongoing sanctions. … Read more

Russian Economy Sees Growth Despite Western Sanctions and Declining Imports

The Russian economy has experienced substantial growth across various sectors, with unemployment rates remaining historically low, despite ongoing Western sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict. Industrial production, driven by military manufacturing, saw a 3.3% increase in July, and the GDP growth rate for the first half of the year reached 4.6%, compared to 1.8% in … Read more

Russia Set to Launch Crypto Payment Trials Next Week, Report

Russia is reportedly set to start trials for cryptocurrency exchanges and digital token payments on Sept. 1 to mitigate payment difficulties caused by international sanctions. These trials will involve the National Payment Card System and could lead to the establishment of crypto trading platforms if successful. Legislation was recently passed to legalize crypto mining and … Read more

Latam Insights Encore: El Salvador’s Proposal Opens the Door for Crypto-Based International Settlements

Welcome to Latam Insights Encore, a deep dive into Latin America’s most relevant economic and cryptocurrency-based news from last week. In this edition, we discuss the recent proposal from El Salvador to settle their trade transactions with Russia using crypto, and how this might encourage other nations to do the same. El Salvador Might Start … Read more

BRICS Advances Toward Independent Digital Payment Platform, Russian Official Says

The BRICS economic bloc is progressing towards a digital payment platform, Russia’s Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko has revealed. The initiative, named BRICS Bridge, aims to establish an independent financial system. This system could mitigate dependency on Western institutions, especially amid sanctions and Russia’s SWIFT disconnection. BRICS Moves Forward With Digital Payment Platform Initiative The … Read more

Iran Backs Russia on BRICS Single Currency Initiative

Iran plans to support Russia’s initiatives on creating a BRICS single currency and expanding national currency payments within the bloc, according to Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali. The BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are exploring the creation of a new currency to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar and mitigate … Read more

Russia to Initiate Crypto Payments Internationally by Year-End, Central Bank Governor Says

Russia plans to launch international cryptocurrency payments by the end of the year to counter Western sanctions, according to the governor of the Bank of Russia. The central bank is prepared to be flexible and is already discussing the conditions of this initiative with various ministries, agencies, and businesses. In addition, Russia’s State Duma, the … Read more