Binance has reportedly allowed users to purchase crypto with Russian bank cards, quietly reintroducing compatibility this week. The move comes after Binance blocked transactions with cards issued by banks located in Russia in March, following international sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, and deactivated the accounts of many major clients in response to EU sanctions in April. Russian users with over 10,000 euros in crypto have been banned from making new deposits or trading since then. Russia has been increasingly locked out of critical payments infrastructure since the invasion of Ukraine, and is turning to alternative technologies, including CBDCs and cryptocurrencies, to develop new cross-border payment channels.

(By James Morales)