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


Markets

TON Legacy: How Telegram's Crypto Coin Lives On

Telegram abandoned its blockchain project in 2020, but devoted fans keep maintaining the open source code and now run two competing networks

Two competing groups are trying to resurrect Telegram's TON blockchain project.

Markets

Founder of Alleged $95M Ponzi Nabbed in Russia, 3 More Sought

Finiko was labeled as a Ponzi scheme by the Bank of Russia but still attracted millions in investment.

Finiko founders Marat Sabirov, Kirill Doronin and Edvard Sabirov (left to right)

Policy

Russia's Financial Monitoring Agency Wants to Identify and Profile Crypto Users

Rosfinmonitoring will pay $200,000 for a tool to identify crypto users and see if they are involved in criminal activities.

Detective board with evidence

Markets

P2P Exchange Hodl Hodl Reports Security Issue

The non-custodial marketplace said some users' payment passwords might have been compromised.

The DOJ tied a Latvian national for alleged participation in a cybercrime group.

Policy

Ukraine's President Signs Law Allowing Central Bank to Issue a CBDC

The National Bank of Ukraine can now officially launch its own payment token.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Finance

Russia's Telecom Giant MTS Invests $11.7M in Blockchain Trade-Finance Service: Report

MTS bought 51% of Factorin, a Russia-based trade-finance service, for $11.7 million.

cellphone users mobile

Markets

Russia’s Hermitage to Sell Digital Copies of Art as NFTs

The museum will sell digital copies of works by da Vinci, Giorgione, Kandinsky, van Gogh and Monet on Binance NFT.

The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia