Crypto Ban Russia: What Happened and How It Changed Crypto in 2025

When people talk about a crypto ban Russia, a set of government restrictions on using cryptocurrency for payments and financial services. Also known as Russia's crypto payment ban, it never meant a full outlawing of Bitcoin or other digital assets—just a stop to using them like cash. This is a common misunderstanding. In 2020, Russia started pushing to control crypto. By 2022, they passed laws that made it illegal to use cryptocurrency to pay for goods or services. But owning it? Mining it? Trading it on exchanges? All still allowed.

The real target wasn't Bitcoin—it was the banks. Russian banks were being cut off from SWIFT, and people turned to crypto to move money across borders. The government didn't want that. So they blocked crypto payments, but quietly let mining continue. Why? Because Russia has cheap electricity, especially in Siberia. By 2025, Russia was still one of the top five countries for Bitcoin mining, even after the ban. Miners didn't care about the payment rules—they just sold their Bitcoin on global exchanges for dollars or rubles. The Russia cryptocurrency laws, a mix of restrictions and gray-area allowances. Also known as crypto regulation Russia, it's less about control and more about keeping financial power in state hands. Meanwhile, ordinary Russians kept using P2P apps like LocalBitcoins and Paxful to buy Bitcoin with cash or bank transfers. No bank involved. No legal risk.

What about crypto exchanges? Most big ones like Binance and Kraken stopped serving Russian users outright to avoid legal trouble. But smaller, decentralized platforms kept running. Russians learned to use VPNs and non-KYC wallets. The crypto mining Russia, a thriving underground industry powered by cheap power and modified hardware. Also known as Russian Bitcoin mining, it became one of the few bright spots in the country's economy during sanctions. Factories turned into mining farms. Homes ran rigs in basements. The government didn't shut them down—because they couldn't, and because they knew the electricity exports were still profitable.

By 2025, the crypto ban Russia had turned into a paradox: you can't use crypto to buy bread, but you can mine it, hold it, and sell it for dollars. The ban didn't kill crypto—it pushed it underground, where it grew stronger. The posts below show you exactly how Russians adapted, what tools they used, how mining profits changed, and which crypto projects survived despite the rules. You'll see real cases, real data, and real workarounds—not speculation. This isn't about politics. It's about what people actually did when the system tried to shut them out.