The post Russia-linked A7A5 stablecoin, supporting cast hit in EU’s latest sanctions package appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

The European Union (EU) has passed its 19th set of sanctions against Russia. For the first time since the war in Ukraine began, restrictions have been implemented on crypto platforms and crypto coins after suspicions of using the DeFi products to evade restrictions.  The measures, approved on Thursday, prohibit Russia-based crypto payment providers and the distribution of related payment software across the bloc. The sanctions also target Russian energy firms, banks, and entities in China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates, accused of helping Moscow evade previous restrictions. According to previous reports by Cryptopolitan, the blockchain analytics firm Elliptic flagged an operation linked to Russian oligarch Ilan Shor’s network. Shor’s group allegedly processed billions of dollars in stablecoin transactions to evade sanctions and influence political outcomes in Moldova. These operations highlight Russia’s reliance on crypto for espionage, political interference, and sanctions evasion. Russian ruble-backed A7A5 stablecoin hit with sanctions The EU has introduced the package to target Russia’s growing use of crypto and stablecoins to bypass existing financial restrictions linked to the war in Ukraine. According to the EU Council, the stablecoin A7A5 created with Russian state support has emerged as a prominent tool for financing activities supporting the war of aggression. To that end, sanctions will be directed to the developer of A7A5, the Kyrgyz issuer of that coin, and the operator of a platform where significant volumes of A7A5 are traded. Transactions involving this stablecoin have also been prohibited across the EU. Even after being sanctioned by Western authorities, A7A5 has become the world’s largest non–US dollar stablecoin by market cap, reaching $500 million in early October. Chainalysis stated that the stablecoin has been playing a central role in Russia’s crypto-driven trade settlement strategy. US officials also linked A7A5 to Grinex, the successor to the…

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Filed under: News - @ October 23, 2025 3:25 pm