Russia · CoinDesk
This sanctioned Russian stablecoin argues it processes billions, but blockchain analysts disagree
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There is a growing dispute brewing between a sanctioned ruble-backed stablecoin issuer and blockchain analytics firms over the actual usage of the Russian-backed stablecoin.
Key facts
- A7A5, the Russian cross-border stablecoin designed to facilitate payments outside Western financial channels, claims it averages about $205 million in daily trading volume and has processed $34.4 billion between Jan
- Chris Keegan, an analyst at TRM Labs, said the firm's analysis places A7A5's average daily volume closer to $75 million, with activity declining in recent months
- A7A5, a ruble-pegged stablecoin backed by deposits at Promsvyazbank, a Russian bank hit by Western sanctions, was rolled out in Kyrgyzstan in early 2025
- According to Oleg Ogienko, A7A5's director for regulatory affairs, most of the tokens's activity takes place in decentralized finance (DeFi)
Summary
A7A5, a Russian ruble-pegged stablecoin designed to bypass Western financial channels, is at the center of a dispute over how widely it is used. The token’s issuer claims more than $200 million in average daily volume driven largely by decentralized finance activity, but blockchain analytics firms say real usage is far lower and heavily inflated by circular transactions. Analysts argue that sanctions and the collapse of a key Russia-linked exchange have sharply reduced A7A5’s momentum, while the issuer counters that traditional data providers undercount DeFi-based activity, highlighting the broader challenge of tracking sanctions-evasion efforts in crypto. A7A5, the Russian cross-border stablecoin designed to facilitate payments outside Western financial channels, claims it averages about $205 million in daily trading volume and has processed $34.4 billion between Jan. 1 and June 17 this year.