Catenaa, Tuesday, February 18 – Russia’s Bitcoin mining regions are seeing unprecedented increases in Electricity consumption, according to a recent study by ACRA Ratings. The study revealed a sharp rise in the demand for electricity tied to the country’s growing crypto sector.  The Republic of Ingushetia in the North Caucasus region led the charge, with […]

Catenaa, Tuesday, February 25, 2025- The European Union(EU) has adopted its 16th sanctions package against Russia, introducing stricter financial controls, trade restrictions, and expanded oversight on cryptocurrency transactions. The measures, announced on February 24, mark three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  The package includes sanctions against 83 additional individuals and entities, targeting organizations involved […]

Catenaa, Monday, February 17, 2025 – European shares led by defence stocks rose to record highs on Monday, as the top political leaders of the region called for an emergency summit on the Ukraine war amid growing U.S. calls to boost military spending for security. The pan-European STOXX 600 index  jumped as high as 0.4%, as a […]

Catenaa, Tuesday, April 01, 2025- Russian energy giant Gazprom launched blockchain-powered “digital financial assets” (DFAs) on Monday, marking a major step in the country’s growing tokenized finance sector.  Gazprombank, the company’s banking arm, issued 2 billion rubles ($23.5 million) worth of DFAs via the Moscow Exchange. Each tokenized asset is valued at 1,000 rubles ($11.77) […]

Catenaa, Friday, March 14, 2025-Russia is increasingly using cryptocurrencies in its oil trade with China and India, leveraging digital assets to streamline cross-border transactions, according to report filed by the Reuters said. While Russia has encouraged crypto adoption and passed legislation allowing digital payments in international trade, this is the first time its use in […]

Catenaa, Tuesday, February 18, 2025 – Russia and Iran are increasingly using cryptocurrency to bypass Western financial sanctions, with sanctioned entities receiving $15.8 billion in crypto in 2024, according to a new report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis.  The report, shared with Cryptonews, found that sanctioned jurisdictions accounted for nearly 60% of crypto-related sanctions activity […]

Catenaa, Saturday, March 01, 2025-Russia power grid operator Rosseti Group, reported losses exceeding 1.3 billion rubles ($14.2 million) in 2024 due to unauthorized cryptocurrency mining, which has strained the country’s energy infrastructure.  The most severe impact was recorded in the North Caucasus, where illegal mining caused losses of over 600 million rubles. In Novosibirsk, authorities […]

Catenaa, Thursday, March 06-Russia Finance Ministry has stated it has no immediate plans to establish a national cryptocurrency reserve but could reconsider if the country’s National Welfare Fund (NWF) reaches a liquidity level of 7-10% of GDP.  Deputy Finance Minister Vladimir Kolychev said the ministry currently deems crypto assets too volatile for inclusion in the […]

Catenaa, Wednesday, January 29, 2025 – Rosseti, Russia’s largest energy provider, announced plans to launch cryptocurrency mining operations, aiming to repurpose underutilized power supply centers to support Bitcoin mining. The move marks a significant shift for the state-owned firm, which previously targeted illegal mining activities. According to TASS, Rosseti seeks government approval to coordinate crypto […]

Catenaa, Sunday, February 09, 2025 – Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev has called for a permanent ban on cryptocurrency/crypto mining in the energy-strained Russian region, escalating restrictions initially imposed for the winter season. Speaking at a Legislative Assembly meeting, Kobzev urged Moscow to extend the mining suspension through 2031, citing ongoing energy shortages. The region, a […]