Could FATF’s Blacklist Hammer Russia’s Crypto Industry?

Key Takeaways

• FATF may add Russia to its blacklist.
• Political experts believe Russia’s blacklisting is highly unlikely.
• Experts warn in case of a FATF blacklist, crypto exchanges will be impacted the most.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is weighing the possibility of adding Russia to its blacklist, a move that could significantly impact the country’s burgeoning crypto industry.

While political experts believe the chances of such a scenario are low, the consequences for Russian crypto exchanges could be severe.

Russia’s FATF Blacklist Threat

Since the outbreak of war, Ukraine and its allies have been calling on the FATF, the international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, to take action against Russia.

While the FATF has blacklisted countries like North Korea, Iran, and Myanmar, it has so far refrained from adding Russia to that list.

After suspending Russia’s membership in 2023, the FATF now seems to be considering whether to blacklist the country, according to Politico .

The FATF typically adds countries to its blacklist if they are involved in laundering illicit funds tied to terrorism or if their anti-money laundering efforts fall short.

Reports of Russia being included in the FATF’s blacklist come as the country increasingly embraces digital assets to bypass international sanctions and facilitate global trade.

The Impact on Crypto Exchanges

While many experts consider a FATF blacklist against Russia a long shot, the consequences of such a move would still be far-reaching.

In the unlikely event of a blacklist, Russia’s crypto industry would likely face significant disruption.

Taisiya Romanova, a crypto expert, warned that an immediate blacklist would put Russian crypto exchanges in a precarious position.

She told RBC  that the blacklisting would affect both bank payments and cryptocurrency exchanges, making them more unstable.

The primary concern, Romanova explained, is that counterparties may withdraw their cooperation due to fear of falling under secondary sanctions.

However, it’s not all bad news.

The decentralized nature of the crypto market would make it difficult to stifle crypto progress entirely.

Russian crypto users could simply shift to decentralized exchanges and second-tier platforms with more lenient know-your-customer requirements, mitigating the impact of a blacklist.

“Being blacklisted would, of course, have more significant consequences than just a rating drop. But even so, I don’t see any significant changes for ordinary users from Russia. Nevertheless, all parties will try to find compromises. Plus, there is always the option of second-tier crypto exchanges and decentralized platforms,” ​​Romanova noted.

Russian Crypto Exchanges To Become FATF Compliant?

At a time when rumors about a potential FATF blacklist are rife, Russia is ensuring that even in the worst-case scenario, their crypto progress is not hampered.

According to local reports , Russian authorities are working to ensure that crypto exchange platforms offering services in the country comply with FATF regulations.

This effort comes on the heels of Russia’s decision in August to greenlight crypto regulations, paving the way for crypto mining and cross-border transactions.

Experts believe that crypto exchanges may be the next target of strict compliance requirements as Russia seeks to align its cryptocurrency sector with FATF recommendations.

To achieve this, the Russian government’s anti-money laundering agency, Rosfinmonitoring , plans to draft a package of bills aimed at licensing cryptocurrency exchanges.