Russia Trials Crypto Payments for Foreign Trade Amid Sanctions

The Russian government has formed a focus group to trial crypto payments for foreign trade, focusing on importers of goods with potential military applications.

Russia has established a focus group under an experimental legal regime to explore the use of crypto for foreign trade payments. The initiative aims to address challenges faced by importers dealing with dual-use goods, which have both civilian and military applications, and are subject to strict international payment restrictions.

The move follows China’s announcement in early August that it will ban the export of all unregulated civilian drones, which have increasingly been used in military warfare in recent years, starting Sept. 1.

According to the report, the focus group includes members from the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Association of Developers and Producers of Electronics, alongside several banks. The report did not specify whether the group included only Russian banks or involved foreign financial lenders as well.

Crypto Payments for Dual-Use Goods

The initiative is designed to assist importers struggling with transactions to banks in China and other countries due to the sensitive nature of their goods. This move follows recent reports that Russia’s two largest unsanctioned metal producers have begun using Tether’s stablecoin for cross-border transactions with Chinese clients and suppliers, in response to U.S. Treasury Department warnings about secondary sanctions.

Selection Criteria for Focus Group Participants

People familiar with the matter reportedly say that participants in the focus group were selected based on their business turnover, with larger companies prioritized. The Russian government plans to expand the initiative in the future, though the timing for a broader rollout remains unclear.

Potential for Legalization of Stablecoins

In early July, Alexei Guznov, deputy governor of Russia’s central bank, indicated in a media interview that the Bank of Russia is exploring the legalization of stablecoins for cross-border transactions. Guznov noted that the initiative could potentially transition from a temporary experiment to a permanent regulatory framework, although specifics regarding the timeline for approval were not disclosed.

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