Date: August 18th, 2018 5:36 PM
Author: Beady-eyed twisted church
Over the course of 2018, Russia's Ruble has been steadily depreciating compared to the USD, falling by 30% since April, while sliding a further 8% over the last week, with the Dollar being worth up to 70 Rubles, increasing dramatically from 50 Rubles earlier this year.
Bitcoin and most cryptos are at a premium in Russia, with one BTC worth around $200 more in RUB than USD.
All the while, blockchain, initially treated with a certain level of suspicion within Russia, is being readily adopted, by the government at the very least, this being due to the prospects of using cryptocurrencies as a means of side-stepping economic sanctions.
This same strategy is being rapidly taken on by the Iranian government. It too has been placed under renewed economic sanctions as the Trump administration walked away from the previously agreed nuclear deals from the Obama administration. Iran, it appears is involved in some level of consultation with Russia, but not full-fledged collaboration.
Whether Russia holds any amount of cryptocurrency as a form of hedge remains unknown, but at the beginning of the year, some level of crypto transaction was conducted between the Turkish and Russian Governments. While Iran and Russia discussed plans to start trading in crypto this May.
Among a number of other blockchain related developments, plans were drafted and announced in spring 2018 for Russia's SWIFT to start running on blockchain technology.
This is one way in which we are seeing cryptocurrencies and blockchain, as a whole, is used to disrupt what was once perceived to be the international order for generations. While the old East and West battles of brinksmanship resurface, we see blockchain technology entering, not just as some indirect battlefield, but as some form of technological edge with which one side can tip the balance.
https://bitcoinexchangeguide.com/russia-finds-bitcoin-and-crypto-prices-at-a-premium-as-us-asset-sell-off-continues/
(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4054810&forum_id=2#36640297)