The Russian government does not want a China-style ban on the circulation of cryptocurrencies as advocated by the central bank, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday.
The Bank of Russia has previously said the country needs a further adjustment of its cryptocurrency regulation, pointing to the experience of China and India.
But Siluanov said he hopes cooperation among agencies will help solve the crypto market regulation dilemma.
“If we ban cryptocurrencies, then we need to ban the internet. We don’t use the methods that China uses,” he said.
In September, China intensified its crackdown on cryptocurrencies with a blanket ban on all crypto transactions and “mining”, hitting bitcoin and other major coins and pressuring crypto and blockchain-related stocks.
Siluanov said his ministry believes that mining should not be banned but legalised and taxed instead, while banks and bourses should be used to identify players on the cryptocurrency market.
Risks For Consumers
Valeriy Lyakh, head of the central bank’s department for countering market misconduct, reiterated his institution’s stance that cryptocurrencies carry risks for consumers of financial services.
“We do not consider it feasible to take cryptocurrencies to the regulatory field,” he said.
Fitch Ratings has warned that a ban on cryptocurrencies would limit Russia’s financial system’s exposure to risk, but may curb innovation and hinder banks’ technological development in the longer term.
The Bank of Russia has proposed restricting cryptocurrency trading and mining due to concerns it may cause financial instability. But the Finance ministry disagreed and President Vladimir Putin has called on authorities to find a consensus.
The Finance ministry and the central bank have been arguing about cryptocurrency regulation for a year and a half, Siluanov said, adding that the government is now expected to find a solution.
By the end of this week, the Finance ministry is due to file its proposals to the government on how to regulate cryptocurrencies, which Russians have used in annual transactions worth about $5 billion.
- Reuters, with additional editing by George Russell
READ MORE:
Buffett Partner Munger Hits at Crypto, US-China Breakdown
Global Regulators Fast-Track Cryptoassets Framework
Tulips Worth More Than Crypto, RBI Chief Warns Indians
