Krutika Adani
Tether froze Russian wallets holding $30M in USDT on Garantex, following EU sanctions. Now, Russia is rethinking its crypto strategy.
Deputy Minister Osman Kabaloev says it's time for Russia to build internal alternatives to USDT—possibly pegged to non-dollar currencies.
USDT helped Russians move money across borders despite restrictions. The freeze exposes the fragility of relying on Western-issued tokens.
While domestic crypto use remains restricted, Russia’s central bank has greenlit experimental international crypto payments.
The freeze reignites calls for a sovereign stablecoin to protect Russia’s economy from foreign interference and maintain financial autonomy.