Russia Blacklists Crypto Exchange WhiteBIT Over Ukraine Support

Russia has moved to block crypto exchange WhiteBIT, after prosecutors labelled the platform and its affiliated organizations as “undesirable” over allegations tied to support for Ukraine’s war effort.

The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation posted, “A foreign cryptocurrency exchange that finances the Ukrainian regime has been declared undesirable in the Russian Federation.”

Prosecutors also accused the exchange of enabling “gray” schemes to move money out of Russia and of facilitating other illegal activity, as Moscow steps up scrutiny of crypto rails linked to cross border flows.

Funds Allegedly Used To Procure Drones For Ukrainian Forces

Since the first days of the military operation, the crypto exchange has actively supported the Ukrainian Armed Forces, implementing various programs in collaboration with Kyiv regime institutions, the Russian office said.

In 2022, WhiteBit’s management donated a total of about $11M. Of this, $900,000 was allocated for the purchase of drone systems for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the prosecutors said.

“The leadership participates in international charity auctions, using the proceeds to purchase drones for Ukrainian militants, including members of the Azov terrorist organization, which is banned in our country,” it said.

Move Sharpens Scrutiny Of Crypto In Wartime Financing

WhiteBIT’s own charity page says it has donated more than $11M since Feb. 2022, and says its payments arm Whitepay has helped collect more than 160M USDT in crypto donations.

Russia’s “undesirable” designation effectively bans activity tied to the organisation inside the country and can expose people who cooperate with it to criminal liability, according to rights and legal trackers that follow the registry.

The move lands against a long-running tug of war over crypto’s role in wartime finance. Soon after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukraine’s digital ministry asked major exchanges to block Russian users, and some firms said they would follow sanctions rules without imposing blanket bans unless required by law.

Update: Exclusive Comments By WhiteBIT To Cryptonews

Official Statement Regarding the Russian Prosecutor’s Office Decision

WhiteBIT is aware of the decision announced by the Russian Prosecutor’s Office and considers it the strongest confirmation of the company’s clear and consistent pro-Ukrainian position.

WhiteBIT is an exchange founded in 2018 by Ukrainian entrepreneur Volodymyr Nosov.

Following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, WhiteBIT took a principled stance: it blocked all users from Russia and Belarus and discontinued trading pairs with the Russian ruble.

As a result of this decision, the exchange lost approximately 30% of its user base at the time.

WhiteBIT has consistently maintained a pro-Ukrainian position. In 2022, WhiteBIT signed a memorandum of cooperation with Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Under this collaboration, the exchange helped with consular support services in countries where WhiteBIT has offices, supported the Ministry’s Anti-Crisis Center, and a 24/7 Helpline for Ukrainian citizens abroad.

From spring 2022, WhiteBIT, through its Whitepay crypto-processing service, has enabled cryptocurrency donations for the largest charitable and humanitarian foundations in Ukraine.

This includes cooperation with UNITED24, the official Ukrainian government fundraising initiative launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In total, WhiteBIT and Whitepay have facilitated more than 160 million USD in crypto donations, supporting both humanitarian and defense-related fundraising.

Over the four years of full-scale war, WhiteBIT has donated around 11 million USD of its own funds to support Ukraine’s defense forces and humanitarian initiatives for civilians. These actions reflect the company’s values and civic position as a business with roots in Ukraine operating during wartime.

WhiteBIT founder Volodymyr Nosov has also been recognized with several national honors for his contribution to supporting Ukraine during the war. These include awards from the Presidential UNITED24 initiative, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the leadership of Ukraine’s Security Service and military intelligence.

In addition, he has received more than 50 letters of gratitude from military units and divisions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for sustained support and cooperation.

Despite the significant business impact of its 2022 decision, WhiteBIT has since grown more than eightfold, expanded internationally, and continues to operate as a global cryptocurrency exchange serving users in compliance with applicable international regulations.

WhiteBIT does not operate in the Russian market and has had no users or business activity there since 2022.

The company remains focused on global growth, transparency, and supporting Ukraine, and stands by the values that guided its decisions from the outset.