SimpleFinance, a Russian online micro-lending platform targeting small and medium-sized businesses, yesterday announced a Eurobond issue of $30 million with results “fully in line with expectations.” Launched in 2015, SimpleFinance is already profitable and self-financing, with its products enjoying high demand, the company’s press service told East-West Digital News. “But we intend to use this …
Last week Sberbank, the national savings bank, launched a pilot program which could see cash delivered by drone, reports The Moscow Times. The first drone-assisted delivery took place on Thursday, said Lev Khasis, the first deputy chairman of the bank’s board. Announcing the program in May, CEO German Gref warned that “a lot of questions” still …
Illustrating the growing traction of blockchain technologies in the country, a team of Russian scientists and financial experts has just raised $7.07 million from 3,955 backers on a blockchain-based crowdfunding platform. Dubbed ‘ZrCoin,’ the project consists in building a factory to recycle metallurgical waste using an innovative technology. The team presents their project as “the first-ever …
Kapinvest 21, a VC company in Tyumen, in Russia’s Southeast Urals, has partnered with a group of unnamed Chinese investors, Asia LP, to launch FinShi Capital, a venture fund based on cryptocurrencies. The fund will target blockchain and fintech projects in Russia and beyond. The fund began selling pre-ICO (Initial Coin Offering) tokens today, June 15, with …
Siberian venture firm teams up with Chinese investors to launch cryptocurrency-based fund Read More
Farmer Mikhail Shlyapnikov says creating his own virtual currency allowed him to raise almost $2 million in two months. The currency, the kolion, is named after the Moscow region village of Kolionovo, where Shlyapnikov lives. During its April launch period, investors from around the world bought $500,000 worth of the currency. Since trading began at the beginning of …
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his economic team have long been under the impression that, to wean the country off its oil dependence, they needed a major leap in some specific area of technology that wasn’t yet dominated by Western, Chinese or Japanese tech giants. As reported by Bloomberg, Ethereum, the world’s largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin, has …
Putin eyes Ethereum as potential instrument for tech modernization Read More
Telegram, the international messenger launched by Pavel Durov in 2013, is now bringing support for payments via chatbots, nearly two years after introducing them. “Imagine a world where you can order pizza, pay for a pair of shoes, hire a cab, or refill your subway pass — all in a few button taps on Telegram,” suggests Telegram …
According to its deputy chairwoman, Olga Skorobogatova, Russia’s central bank is in the process of drafting legislation to legally recognize and monitor digital currencies. The preliminary draft regulation could be presented to the Russian State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian Parliament, as soon as June, Skorobogatova was quoted as stating by Interfax. Skorobogatova’s comments …
Russia’s central bank plans to tax bitcoin, deem it a “digital commodity” Read More
Chronopay, a major online payment provider operating in Russia from its Amsterdam headquarters, is including bitcoin to its payment gateway. Its clients will thus be able to accept the popular cryptocurrency. Chronopay founder Pavel Vrublevsky, a controversial figure, had sharply criticized Bitcoin in the past. He has changed his point of view radically: “Having thoroughly studied the …
Chronopay to support Bitcoin and Blockchain “revolution” Read More
Yesterday Google announced the launch of Android Pay in Russia, with the participation of 15 banks at start. This makes Russia the 11th country covered by Google’s tap-and-pay solution. Thousands of organizations across the country already accept Android Pay, including Magnit, Perekrestok, Starbucks, KFC and Rosneft. Thus Russians may now fuel their car, buy groceries, …
On June 22, Saint Petersburg will host the international Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference as part of a series of events held in Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Sweden. Blockchain in banking and digital currencies legislative regulation will be among the main topics covered at the event, with industry experts and executives, entrepreneurs, startups …
Blockchain and banking discussed in Saint Petersburg (June 22) Read More
In late April the finale of GenerationS, a major corporate-oriented accelerator program, took place at the Stadium Live concert hall in Moscow. Three winners shared 15 million rubles (some $263,000 at the current exchange rate) in prizes while 19 other teams received prizes worth over 100 million rubles (1.75 million) from the accelerator’s partners. One of …
Raiffeisenbank launches pilot projects with three Russian startups Read More
