Bitstamp for the second time blocked access to its site for customers with Russian IPs. The exchange explains the ban by the prohibitive position of Russian authorities, without quoting any particular action.

According to Bitstamp, the decision was taken due to attempts of the Russian government to limit access to the company’s website for Russian users. Therefore, Bitstamp management decided to block Russia at their end until the situation clarifies. The exchange emphasises that all funds of Russian users remain safe. Yet, Bitstamp is not listed in any Russian register of banned sites.

As the exchange’s management told CoinFox, the official reason for prohibitive moves of Russian authorities remains unspecified.

“We have no information of any misuse of our services by any Russian customer. Bitstamp poses no threat to the security of Russia or its economy.”

Currently, Bitstamp is trying to contact Russian regulators to get things sorted out. In addition, the company encourages all Russian customers to inform, if they know anything about the reasons for an alleged ban of the service in the country.

However, Bitstamp’s clients are perplexed: there is no information concerning any official prohibition of the exchange in the country. The website is still in the list of the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor with the same status: “access is not restricted.”

Probably Bitstamp is trying to be one step ahead considering the growing hostile rhetoric of Russian authorities in regard to cryptocurrencies. Indeed, the Russian Finance Ministry has prepared a draft bill prohibiting cryptocurrency turnover in Russia. The document demands up to 7 years in prison for the issuance and circulation of “surrogate money” in the country. The Investigative Committee and the Central Bank of Russia support the ban of cryptocurrency. In the end of April, Pavel Livadniy, the deputy head of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service, called cryptocurrency ban in Russia a “possible and applicable” measure.

Bitstamp already blocked access for Russian users early in 2016. That time, the exchange also explained the decision by an alleged ban of the Bitstamp website by Russian authorities, although there was no such prohibition in any official sources. A month later, in mid-February Bitstamp became available from Russian IP-addresses.

Elena Platonova