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


Consensus Magazine

Lessons of a $37M Attack: How a Ukrainian Payment Processor Was Hacked

CoinsPaid, a crypto payment processing company with Ukrainian roots, fell a victim to a social engineering attack, thought to have emanated from Lazarus, a North Korean hacking group.

North Korea's flag painted on a wall (Shutterstock)

Consensus Magazine

Bitget Exchange Faces Lawsuit by Advisor of ReelStar Token Project After the Listing Goes Sour

Influencer Evan Luthra says the exchange froze his account and destroyed his advisory relationship. Bitget says Luthra was dumping the REELT token as he advised his followers to buy.

From a ReelStar promotional video (YouTube)

Consensus Magazine

Want to Mine Bitcoin at Home? DIY Bitcoiners Have Stories to Share

From an ASIC-heated swimming pool to a handmade soundproof container, these die-hards found ways to make home mining feasible, if not quite profitable.

Gerald Glickman's "immersion-cooled bitcoin miner/pool heater" (YouTube)

Consensus Magazine

Ukraine Has Raised $225M in Crypto to Fight Russian Invasion, but Donations Have Stagnated Over the Last Year: Crystal

Ukraine attracted over $225 million from supporters around the world, while Russian military fundraisers only scored several millions.

Ukranian Flag (Getty Images)

Policy

U.S. DOJ Needs 6-8 Weeks to Process Evidence Against Celsius's Former CEO, Attorneys Tell Judge

Alex Mashinsky was arrested earlier this month on fraud and price manipulation charges.

Celsius to distribute $3 billions of crypto to creditors as firm emerges from bankruptcy.

Policy

Putin Signs Digital Ruble Law Making a CBDC Possible in Russia

The new law describes a legal framework for a central bank digital token

El presidente de Rusia, Vladimir Putin. (DimitroSevastopol/Pixabay)

Consensus Magazine

Ghost From the Well: Is Crypto Mining With Associated Gas Better for the Environment?

Oil and gas companies are keen to use gas that would normally be flared off to run bitcoin mining operations. But environmentalists claim the practice merely perpetuates the use of fossil fuels.

Gas flaring / Getty Images

Policy

ISIS Allies Used Crypto to Raise Millions: TRM Labs

Affiliates of the notorious terrorist organization use centralized exchanges, the blockchain intelligence firm said.

Protestors with ISIS flag. Credit: Shutterstock/Musaib Mushtaq