Russia's central bank calls for crypto crackdown
-
S.African activists push back on data centre rush
-
Billionaire Ambani's Jio jumps 21% in market debut after record India IPO
-
Billionaire Ambani's Jio to debut after record India IPO
-
Sri Lanka's Tamil farmers fight to reclaim land after civil war
-
UK set for cautious budget as borrowing costs climb
-
'They don't care about us': Trump food aid cuts leave Americans struggling and angry
-
US Fed expected to hold rates steady ahead of key midterm elections
-
Palestinian activist Khalil returns to Columbia after US detention
-
AI chip giant SK hynix says quarterly operating profit soars 630%
-
Youths testify about 'despair' in unprecedented Canadian climate trial
-
Charles tackles thorny legacy of slavery on Caribbean trip
-
Storied Paris department store seeks bankruptcy protection
-
UN nuclear watchdog chief urges Iran to grant access
-
Boeing shares tumble after it releases cautious growth forecast
-
Boeing releases cautious growth plan as shares fall sharply
-
Boeing reports smaller loss as it aims for stable output growth
-
Tech firms gain on Anthropic IPO optimism; HSBC slumps in London
-
Dangote, Nigeria's oil tycoon rewriting Africa's story
-
Tech firms track Wall St rally on mixed day for stock markets
-
Kane says Ballon d'Or win 'feels like a dream' as tributes pour in
-
HSBC profit jumps on higher rates, lower costs
-
Mercedes-Benz cuts 2026 profit outlook on tough China market
-
Reparations calls follow Charles on tough Caribbean trip
-
Wall Street faces earnings and Fed tests after turbulent technology-led week
-
China brands drop Mbappe for 'offending national sentiments'
-
Delhi grants minimum monthly pay and DA to about 4,000 MCD health workers
-
Critical coal inventories affect nearly half of India’s domestic power plants
-
FCNR(B) deposit drive puts sharper margin pressure on private banks
-
Gold ETF flows turn negative after 13 weeks as bullion loses 4%
Russia's central bank calls for crypto crackdown
The Russian central bank proposed Thursday cracking down on cryptocurrencies, a move which if adopted could disrupt the burgeoning virtual money sector as Russia is one of the largest crypto-mining nations in the world.
Russian authorities have for years criticised cryptocurrencies over fears they can be used for illegal activities and have called for regulation.
Authorities granted cryptocurrencies legal status in 2020, but their use in payments was never authorised.
The Bank of Russia called Thursday for reinforcing the ban on cryptocurrency payments, banning crypto-mining, and tightening laws on trading virtual money.
"The use of cryptocurrencies creates significant threats to the well-being of Russian citizens and the stability of the financial system," a report published by the central bank said.
It added that the swift growth of cryptocurrencies is driven by "speculative demand" that leads to the forming of a "bubble".
The report added that cryptos resemble financial "pyramid schemes" because their value increases with the emergence of new players on the market.
It estimated the annual transaction volume of Russian citizens at $5 billion.
Bloomberg earlier cited sources as saying that Russia's domestic security agency, the FSB, had lobbied central bank head Elvira Nabiulina for a ban.
The FSB cited concerns over Russians frequently using the hard-to-trace transactions to support "undesirable organisations", such as opposition groups.
C.Smith--CPN
