BestChange Blocked in Russia: Crypto Platform Seeks Answers from Regulators

Russia Blocks BestChange Website Amid Legal Concerns—Platform in Talks with Central Bank
Crypto Clash: BestChange Website Blocked by Russian Watchdog, Reason Unclear
BestChange Faces Russian Ban Despite Legal Crypto Mining—What’s Behind It?
Russia’s Roskomnadzor Blocks BestChange: Crypto Regulations Under Scrutiny

(Reuters) — Cryptocurrency exchange platform BestChange announced that its website has been blocked by Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, though the exact reason remains unclear. The platform is now in talks with Russia’s central bank to understand the situation and work toward lifting the ban.

“bestchange.ru has been restricted in Russia by Roskomnadzor,” the company confirmed late Monday in response to media inquiries. “Unfortunately, we cannot determine the exact reason behind this decision. We are in communication with the central bank and engaging with the regulator to clarify the situation and remove the block.”

Roskomnadzor’s official website lists bestchange.ru as blocked. According to Russia’s RIA news agency, the regulator cited legal violations related to “financial sphere regulations” as the reason for the ban. However, Roskomnadzor has not provided an official comment on the matter.

Could New Crypto Laws Be the Cause?
BestChange suspects that recent regulatory changes concerning cryptocurrency might be the root cause of the issue. It’s also possible that an external entity using their services may have triggered the restriction.

While Russia has banned the circulation and advertising of digital currencies domestically, cryptocurrency mining and the use of crypto for international payments are legal under specific conditions. Last year, Russia officially legalized crypto mining, introducing taxes that could generate up to 200 billion roubles ($2 billion) annually from miners.

However, Russia has also imposed new restrictions on mining operations in some Siberian regions to prevent power shortages due to high energy consumption.

Crypto’s Role Amid Western Sanctions
As part of its evolving crypto legislation, Russia has allowed businesses to use cryptocurrencies for international trade—a strategic move aimed at bypassing Western sanctions that have caused payment delays. While this regulation is technically in place, the government has yet to fully launch the trial period for such transactions.

Despite the growing role of cryptocurrencies in Russia’s economic strategy, regulatory uncertainty continues to pose challenges for platforms like BestChange. The company remains hopeful that its ongoing discussions with the central bank will resolve the issue soon.

Also Read – 

Michael Saylor’s Strategy Snaps Up 7,633 BTC After Earnings Blackout