The Block: Russia blocks crypto exchange OKX's website

Russia has blocked the website of the crypto exchange OKX, according to records from Roskomnadzor, Russia's state media regulator and internet censorship agency.

The records show that Russia blocked OKX's website at the request of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation. It is unclear what triggered the move.

OKX's website was blocked under article 15.3 of Russia's federal law on Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection, according to Roskomnadzor records. This article calls for restricting websites for various reasons including fake information and potential threat to financial or credit organizations.

OKX did not respond to The Block's request for comment by press time.

Still, the website blockade doesn't mean Russians can't access the platform completely, given the availability of virtual private networks or VPNs.

OKX is the second largest crypto-only exchange in terms of trading volumes and market share, according to data from The Block Research.

In September 2020, Binance's website was blocked in Russia after a local court ruled that the exchange operator was helping distribute information about bitcoin. Binance later challenged the decision, as it never received any complaints from regulators. The firm successfully overturned the ban in January 2021.

Cryptocurrencies are considered a form of property under a Russian law passed in July 2020, but they can't be used for payments in the country.

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