UK sanctions three crypto exchanges over alleged Russia links
CIE News ·
The UK sanctioned three crypto exchanges and two payment services on October 8, 2026, over alleged ties to a Russia-linked network and the A7A5 stablecoin.
The U.K. Foreign Office sanctioned three cryptocurrency exchanges and two payment platforms on October 8, 2026, as part of 38 new designations targeting Russian sanctions evasion, according to CoinDesk. The measures target Canadian-registered Xeltox Enterprises—parent of Cryptomus, Heleket, and Certa Payments—alongside Kyrgyzstan-based TokenSpot, payment providers Processing KG and Tsunami Payments, and director Ulan Bukabaev. British officials stated the entities facilitated transactions tied to A7, a network operating the ruble-pegged stablecoin A7A5. The designations freeze the entities' U.K. assets and prohibit British financial institutions from handling their payments.