Russia has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, claiming the platform failed to remove content linked to attacks and criminal activity.

The European Union has sanctioned Justin Sun-linked cryptocurrency exchange HTX and Huobi Global S.A., intensifying regulatory pressure on the platform over allegations it helped facilitate financial activity connected to Russia.

Russia is on the verge of passing its first comprehensive cryptocurrency law, bringing the country closer to creating a fully regulated digital asset market while maintaining tight government control over how cryptocurrencies can be traded and used.

Russia says its long-awaited digital ruble is ready for nationwide use from Sept. 1, with major banks and retailers prepared to support the country's central bank digital currency. But while the technology may be ready, convincing Russians to actually use it could prove to be the bigger challenge.

When USDC is included in a national regulatory list and may be frozen in another judicial system, its nature is no longer pure.

Russia has introduced new rules requiring crypto miners to register the IP addresses linked to their mining equipment with the Federal Tax Service.

Russia is planning to charge about $2 per gigabyte for international internet use, a move that would make VPN use much more expensive for everyday users. It is also raising licence fees for small internet providers and expanding surveillance systems, which could force most smaller firms out and increase state control over the internet.