Russia-Ukraine war, bitcoin makes + 13% in the last two days: the role of digital currencies in the conflict

Yesterday evening the White House asked cryptocurrency exchange platforms to help ensure that Russian individuals and companies do not use digital currencies to circumvent sanctions. The response from the digital currency world has been rather lukewarm. Most traders said they will respect the rules but have no intention of blocking Russian user accounts (wallets) just because of their country of residence. This, they explain, would be in contrast with the founding principles of cryptocurrencies inspired by an ideal of universal freedom. Binance, the platform that recorded the highest trading volumes rubles – bitcoin he claimed he would block Russian accounts targeted by sanctions, but that it would not unilaterally “freeze” millions of user accounts in the country.

“Cryptocurrencies are meant to guarantee one greater financial freedom for people around the world. Deciding unilaterally to ban access would go against why cryptocurrencies exist, ”the spokesperson for the platform said. Yesterday, ruble-bitcoin trading volumes reached their highest levels since last May, while ruble-hryvnia (the Ukrainian currency, ed) on higher values ​​since October. It is no mystery that digital currencies are the tool by which payments are settled illegal transactions taking place on the internet. The transactions are public and visible but the anonymity of those who carry them out is guaranteed. Nevertheless, the role they are playing in this context is complex, not just negative. For example, the Ukrainian government has launched a bitcoin collection campaign, according to the latest data the equivalent of 20 million dollars. Along the lines of the White House also the Ukrainian vice president Mykhailo Fedorov has sent an invitation to the exchange platforms.

I’m asking all major crypto exchanges to block addresses of Russian users.

It’s crucial to freeze not only the addresses linked to Russian and Belarusian politicians, but also to sabotage ordinary users.

— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 27, 2022

Stefano Bargiacchi, Directa’s digital currency expert, is skeptical about the possibility that the sanctions architecture could put bitcoin in trouble. “What we are observing are many small purchases, probably by ordinary citizens who are trying in this way to safeguard their savings from the collapse of the ruble“, Explains Bargiacchi according to which the bitocin is playing a role of lifeboat for families rather than a lifeboat for oligarchs who get off the yachts. “Large deals would immediately attract attention,” adds the expert. A position that is confirmed in the words of the famous economist Nassim Nicholas Taleb

I’ve been ~flat #BTC to think clearly abt it (ANCIENT TRADER RULE: never voice an opinion when you are long or short because you may fool yourself by confirmatory hoops).
I hope Sanction Evaders use bitcoin. Why? Much much easier to track from endpoints than bank accts.

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb (@nntaleb) March 1, 2022

In recent days, Bargiacchi recalls, it has also circulated the rumor that Moscow was considering the possibility of quote oil in bitcoin. This has not been done, both because the sanctions have so far safeguarded energy purchases, and because the road is obviously difficult to follow. More generally, the expert recalls, the bitocin movement of the last week was characterized by three phases. The first characterized by a wave as for all other assets in the classic cora to liquidity (i.e. to the dollar, ed) which characterizes moments of high uncertainty. Later the digital currency it has detached itself from equity indices, showing greater stability. This step led to the third stagethe current one, in which bitocin seems to keep its promise of being a safe haven asset, in which to invest in difficult phases, as soon as uncertainty begins to diminish. Bitcoin has gained around 13% in the past two days exceeding $ 43,690.

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