Anna Baydakova

Anna writes about blockchain projects and regulation with a special focus on Eastern Europe and Russia. She is especially excited about stories on privacy, cybercrime, sanctions policies and censorship resistance of decentralized technologies.
She graduated from the Saint Petersburg State University and the Higher School of Economics in Russia and got her Master's degree at Columbia Journalism School in New York City.
She joined CoinDesk after years of writing for various Russian media, including the leading political outlet Novaya Gazeta.
Anna owns BTC and an NFT of sentimental value.

Anna Baydakova

Latest from Anna Baydakova


Layer 2

'Frozen' Bitcoin Tied to Canadian Protests Lands at Coinbase, Crypto.Com

The situation shows the limitations of a government’s ability to thwart transactions on decentralized systems – but also the limitations of those systems to circumvent such sanctions.

Truckers in Central Alberta on their way to the Legislature Building in Edmonton (Naomi Mckinney/Unsplash)

Policy

Russian Government Introduces Crypto Bill to Parliament Over Central Bank Objections

The Ministry of Finance is pushing forward with cryptocurrency regulation in Russia. Crypto payments will still be prohibited.

Russian government building

Policy

Bank of Russia Proceeds With Digital Ruble, Renews Push for Crypto Ban

Three Russian banks are piloting the CBDC, while the Bank of Russia is suggesting a new, harsher bill to ban cryptocurrencies in Russia.

Elvira Nabiullina, Russia central bank chief. (Anton Veselov/Shutterstock)

Policy

Russia to Regulate Crypto, Dispelling Fears of Ban

The government’s plan to license exchanges and tax large transactions has the support of the central bank, which previously wanted to outlaw mining and trading.

Russian government building

Finance

Crypto Donations to Ukrainian Activists Soared in 2021, With Russia Looming at the Border: Elliptic

Bitcoin donations to Ukrainian NGOs and volunteer groups rose tenfold during 2021, the crypto analytics company said.

Kiev, Ukraine. Credit: Shutterstock

Finance

Bank of Russia Approves Atomyze as First Digital Asset Issuer

Atomyze, a tokenization startup by the mining and smelting giant Nornickel, has gotten the green light to issue tokens backed by metals in Russia.

The Bank of Russia

Policy

Russia's Minister of Finance Suggests Letting Banks Sell Crypto: Report

Cryptocurrencies should be treated like investments in gold and other assets, the minister wrote in a letter to the prime minister.

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and central bank Governor Elvira Nabiulina. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via GettyImages)

Policy

Russian Government Agrees on Road Map to Regulate Crypto: Report

Government ministries and other official bodies agreed on principles for future crypto regulation. The Bank of Russia objects.

Russian government building