Bank of Russia Pushes KYC Rules for Crypto, Targets Anonymous Transactions

April 14 — The Kremlin is seeking greater visibility into how many Russians are trading cryptocurrencies, DL News reported. The Bank of Russia is proposing to block withdrawals of crypto assets from wallets run by domestic businesses unless users complete identity verification. The move is part of a broader set of crypto rules expected to take effect in July, including requirements for Russia-based trading platforms to implement know-your-customer (KYC) checks aimed at stripping anonymity from crypto transactions. Regulators are also looking to assess crypto holdings kept abroad by Russian citizens. First Deputy Governor Vladimir Chistyukhin said authorities are not trying to stop individuals or companies from holding crypto in overseas wallets, but that such assets must be reported to the Federal Tax Service.