Russia approves cross-border crypto payments

Russia's Deputy Finance Minister described the acquisition and use of cryptocurrency in cross-border settlements through a new agreement.

According to Kommersant, a news outlet, Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Moiseev stated on Thursday that the government department has agreed "on the whole" with the central bank on a rule that would allow residents to send cross-border payments using cryptocurrencies.

The report quotes Deputy Finance Minister, Moiseev statement:

"Now we have a bill in this part already agreed with the Central Bank on the whole ... It generally describes how to acquire cryptocurrency, what can be done with it, and how it can or cannot be settled with for cross-border settlements,"

Russian citizens are intended to benefit from the proposed policy change by having access to digital wallets. The central bank reportedly spoke with government representatives about the issue of cross-border crypto payments, according to news agencies. However, the bank of Russia is allegedly opposed to allowing cryptocurrency exchanges to function legally and not accepting cryptocurrencies as legal tender.

Russia's volatile relationship with crypto

It's interesting how Russia has viewed cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrency payments were prohibited in the country in 2020.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, drafted a new law on July 16 that effectively banned using digital assets to pay for goods and services there. According to the law, cryptocurrencies and NFTs were no longer recognised as legitimate payment methods. These digital assets, though, could still be bought, sold, exchanged, and pledged.

Russia crypto has always had a contentious relationship. In May 2022, Denis Manturov, the trade minister, said that the country would "sooner or later" legalise crypto payments, and its position on using them for cross-border settlements shifted.

It's critical to note that 72% of Russian investors have never purchased cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, according to a July 2022 survey by the Swiss cryptocurrency wallet provider Tangem. Therefore, BTC adoption in the nation is likely to be influenced by the proposed policy change driven by the Russian bank and the Ministry of Finance.