Regulations

Story: EU’s 21st Sanctions Package Puts 14 Crypto Platforms in Georgia, UAE, and Panama on…

By Pankaj K

1 / 15

Article 5bc and the Extraterritorial Shift. The part that's getting attention from legal experts is Article 5bc of the amended Regulation…

2 / 15

Africa Connections and the UK Parallel. The package also severs ties between the A7 Russian ruble network and Africa-based institutions…

3 / 15

Compliance Burden Shifts to Third Countries. Turner's read is that the EU is leaning into this tool precisely because enforcement has been so…

4 / 15

The EU just handed regulators a new weapon. Its 21st sanctions package against Russia, passed July 23, lets authorities block crypto platforms operating in countries that help…

5 / 15

The package is dense. Four new designations hit the A7 Russian ruble network directly. On top of that, 14 crypto service platforms across Georgia, Panama, the UAE, and several…

6 / 15

Nick Turner, an economic sanctions expert, sees this as a real pivot. The EU has historically pushed back against secondary sanctions, which are the kind the U.S.

7 / 15

He also thinks the provision might function mainly as diplomatic leverage — at least initially. The list of non-compliant countries is currently empty.

8 / 15

Unclear how fast that list fills up, or what the threshold actually is.

9 / 15

More context: Austrias FMA Hits Bitpanda With €70,000 Fine in MiCAs First Enforcement Shot

10 / 15

The broader goal is pretty clear: close off the routes Russia uses to fund its activities through crypto.

11 / 15

That's a meaningful expansion. Earlier rounds targeted specific individuals or entities. Now entire nations can find themselves in the crosshairs if their regulatory environment…

12 / 15

More context: Bitpanda Hit With Austrias First MiCA Fine — €70,000 Over White Paper Timing

13 / 15

Whether the EU can actually monitor and enforce compliance across dozens of jurisdictions is a separate question. It's hard.

14 / 15

The 14 platforms named in the package are spread across multiple regions, and the transaction bans are immediate.

15 / 15

August 25 is the date that matters most right now — that's when the ownership and control restrictions on Russians and Belarusians in EU crypto firms kick in formally.

The Currency Analytics

Want the full story?