Russia blocks crypto exchange OKX's website

Quick Take

  • Russia’s state media regulator has blocked crypto exchange OKX’s website.
  • It is unclear what triggered the move. OKX did not respond to The Block’s request for comment.

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.

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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.


© 2023 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

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Yogita Khatri is a senior reporter at The Block, covering all things crypto. As one of the earliest team members, Yogita has played a pivotal role in breaking numerous stories, exclusives and scoops. With nearly 3,000 articles under her belt, Yogita holds the records as The Block's most-published and most-read author of all time. Prior to joining The Block, Yogita worked at crypto publication CoinDesk and The Economic Times, where she wrote on personal finance. To contact her, email: [email protected]. For her latest work, follow her on X @Yogita_Khatri5.