According to Sergey Bezdelov, director of the Industrial Mining Association, approximately 54,000 Bitcoin (BTC) tokens worth about $3 billion were mined in Russia in 2023.
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum 2024, Bezdelov estimated that this mining activity could generate around 50 billion rubles in tax revenue for the Russian government.
He expects the recent legalization of cryptocurrency mining in the country to attract more investors and further increase tax revenue.
On August 8, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law officially legalizing crypto mining. This means that this operation is now recognised as a legitimate economic activity, allowing legal entities to engage in it provided they register or comply with certain restrictions on energy consumption.
The new law is also expected to encourage infrastructure investment and contribute to Russia’s broader economic growth.
In addition, local reports indicate plans to establish at least two crypto exchanges in Moscow and St. Petersburg. These exchanges would facilitate international trade and align with Russia’s broader strategy to strengthen economic ties with the BRICS countries.
In a recent interview, mathematician Fred Krueger discussed Bitcoin’s potential, viewing it as a groundbreaking force in finance.
A well-known critic of Bitcoin, Peter Schiff, has once again predicted a sharp decline in the cryptocurrency’s value, suggesting it could fall below $58,000.
Justin Sun, founder of Tron and a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency world, has voiced strong criticisms of Coinbase’s Bitcoin counterpart, cbBTC.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has addressed concerns raised by the cryptocurrency community regarding the company’s handling of Bitcoin ETFs.