IMF tells that Russia could mine Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to bypass sanctions
The IMF believes the sanctions are for a good cause, but fears that Russia could mine Bitcoin to overcome the impact of these measures.
Russia could use cryptocurrency mining to avoid sanctions, according to the IMF. The IMF warned in its new report that sanctioned countries like Russia could use cryptocurrencies and significantly boost their mining industries to evade economic sanctions imposed on them.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed in its report on global financial stability that Russia may plan to use cryptocurrency mining to circumvent economic sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union following its war on Ukraine.
According to the IMF, Russia could rely on multiple tools to move money outside of the traditional financial system. A prominent example could be the use of non-compliant cryptocurrency exchanges in conjunction with anonymity-promoting platforms such as DEXs or mixers.
In addition, the IMF highlighted the use of private cryptocurrencies such as Monero (XMR), which could help prevent transactions from being tracked and would make it easier for the Russian government to mitigate the effects of the financial blockade.
Russia could use mining to evade sanctions.
Russia is the country with the most sanctions in the world – even more than North Korea – with more than 400 different measures taken against them. In this scenario, the IMF claims that the government could turn to cryptocurrency mining to “monetize energy resources that cannot be exported.”
Regulators ask companies to monitor their transactions
The IMF reported that both the Uk and US regulators are urging all companies, including crypto firms, to be more vigilant and cautious in their transactions so as to avoid loopholes in the Russian government.
However, President Putin has hinted at a potential change of mind. He recently said Russia could have significant advantages for cryptocurrency miners, and the country seems to be adopting a more crypto-friendly posture, possibly accepting Bitcoin as payment for its oil and gas exports.
