The Bank of Russia has released law enforcement data for the first half of 2026, logging 2,600 crypto wallets into its information system. This database is directly connected to banking institutions and Russian law enforcement agencies to monitor suspicious financial flows.
The central bank is not freezing assets directly on the blockchain. Instead, it is targeting entry and exit points by flagging bank accounts, payment processors, and fiat-to-crypto exchange channels within its jurisdiction. These flagging measures resulted in access restrictions on more than 500 payment details linked to illegal financial activities.
Ponzi Trends Decline, USDT Loan Sharks Emerge
Russian law enforcement also opened more than 330 administrative cases during the first six months of the year. They cut off public access to 11,800 websites operated by black-market actors and Ponzi scheme operators. These crime figures show a downward trend compared to the central bank’s historical data.
In 2024, the Bank of Russia tracked 3,490 Ponzi entities, subsequently flagging 4,600 crypto wallets throughout 2025. Entering the first half of 2026, the number of identified illegal entities dropped 31% to 2,891 actors. Scammers’ reliance on crypto to collect victim funds also contracted, falling from 84% last year to 74% this year.
An anomaly, however, has emerged in the illicit lending sector. Illegal lenders in Russia have begun disbursing loans directly in Tether’s USDT stablecoin. The number of unlicensed money lenders tracked surged twofold to 999 entities, up from 467 during the same period last year.
Double Standards for a Single Asset
Intense domestic surveillance stands in sharp contrast to Moscow’s foreign policy. In late 2024, the Russian government officially legalized the use of crypto for cross-border payment settlements. The new regulation permits Russian companies to utilize digital assets for international trade transactions.
Russia has turned to crypto as a solution to bypass the SWIFT messaging network that blocked its business entities. Cross-border digital asset trade allows the country’s international commerce to continue operating without being hit by Western sanctions. This regulatory pattern reflects a deliberate policy architecture: crypto is tightly monitored as a domestic stability threat, yet leveraged as an economic weapon on the global stage. Reported by crypto.news.
Also read: Abu Dhabi Prince Controls 49% of Trump Crypto Bank - Trail of Funds Flows via StringZ Holding
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
