The Council of the European Union adopted the 20th package of sanctions against Russia on April 23, 2026. The crypto measures apply from May 24, 2026.
For digital asset businesses and financial institutions, the package’s most consequential change is structural rather than nominal and further strengthens the EU’s sanctions regime to Russia. Earlier rounds designated specific platforms and instruments. The 20th bans an entire category, putting any new Russian exchange in the same position as a sanctioned one.
EU persons will not be able to transact with:
- Any cryptoasset service provider (CASP) established in Russia
- With the ruble-backed stablecoin RUBx
- With the digital ruble
- With the Belarusian digital ruble
- With payment agents that…
