Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has shut down several crypto exchanges that were involved in illegal transactions since the beginning of the year.
According to the report, about $11 million was laundered per month. SBU stated on Wednesday that the network of “clandestine cryptocurrency exchanges” were based in the country’s capital Kyiv and collectively processed a monthly turnover of $1.1 million in funds linked to criminal activity.
“Among the clients of cryptocurrency exchanges network were organizers of mass protests on the eve of the Independence Day of Ukraine,” the SBU added, per the report. “They received money to pay for the services of provocateurs using this particular network.”
According to the SBU, these illegal funds came from e-wallets linked to banned Russian payment processors such as Qiwi, WebMoney, and Yandex.
As reported earlier, Ukraine’s government is considering a new bill to legalize cryptocurrency in the country.
The country’s central bank is also working on a national digital currency project. The National Bank of Ukraine received official authorization to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC) back in July. The Ministry of Digital Transformation partnered with the Stellar Development Foundation on a joint strategy for digital assets and CBDCs.
