• Crypto adoption has reached a point where governments are keen to avoid loss of control a Chainalysis report shows.
• ECB President Christine Lagarde noted that there is a sharp uptick in the Rubles-crypto conversation.

While ECB President Christine Lagarde insists crypto assets are assisting Russians to evade sanctions, data from Chainalysis shows no systemic use of crypto emanating from the country. Lagarde was speaking at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Summit on Tuesday. She said;

Cryptocurrencies are certainly being used as a way to try to circumvent the sanctions that have been decided by many countries around the world against Russia,

Lagarde noted that there is a sharp uptick in Rubles-crypto conversation. Additionally, she noted that more Rubles are getting converted to Stablecoins lately.

A specific number of players, either individuals or corporates, are obviously trying to convert their rubles into crypto assets,

As a course of action, Lagarde noted that it is high time crypto exchanges took responsibility for their action. Lagarde warned;

We have taken steps to clearly signal to all those who are exchanging, transacting, offering services in relation to crypto-assets that they are being accomplices to circumvent sanctions,

On the other hand, blockchain data platform, Chainalysis shows otherwise. According to Chainalysis co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Jonathan Levin who spoke with Bloomberg, tools are there to help crypto firms be in compliance with sanctions. Levin said;

We’re looking at all of the entry points and exit points from the Russian economy into cryptocurrencies and tracking sort of changes in liquidity changes in volumes different patterns of transactions to really understand there has there been a systemic change in the way in which people are using cryptocurrency in Russia and potentially evading sanctions. So far that we’re not seeing sort of the systemic level of cryptocurrency being used to evade sanctions that people were worried about at the beginning of this,

Crypto adoption via Chainalysis scope

Crypto adoption has reached a point where governments are keen to avoid loss of control. Remember, Lagarde has in the past noted that Stablecoins are undermining the traditional banking system. According to her, CBDC is the future to unite Europe into one block. Moreover, with the globalization of crypto assets, it is not easy to regulate the industry. As such, countries are keen to provide the best fitting and competitive crypto policies.

With the crypto regulations, comes the capability to enact sanctions seamlessly. 

It is actually possible to have sanctions compliance for cryptocurrency businesses around the world. I think the combination of the legitimacy and the utility of cryptocurrency coming from the forefront brings this increased focus and scrutiny on regulation. An inflection point in how regulated cryptocurrency businesses are able to to function in western economies.

Nevertheless, the level of decentralization in the crypto market makes it possible for anyone around the world with an internet connection to access the market seamlessly.