Buying BTC in Russia

[Gixxer1]

I have a friend in Russia who as a bank account with Sber Bank (in Rubles) and he would like to purchase some BTC.

Any ideas how he could go about it given sanctions etc?

[1714853838]

1714853838

[Despairo]

Disclaimer I'm not a Russian.

The best is using DEX or no KYC P2P, but I don't see any BTC/RUB volume in Bisq and Agoradesk.

You might want to trade with other Russians in this forum Pyccкий (Russian)

Other alternatives:
1. https://www.bestchange.com/wire-rub-to-bitcoin.html
2. https://www.bestchange.com/visa-mastercard-rub-to-bitcoin.html

[nakamura12]

I'm not sure if there's an exchange that lets you use bank to buy Bitcoin but if you don't prefer using bank then you should tell your friend to buy Bitcoin P2P. When doing P2P, you should tell your friend to use an escrow service and of course you need to pay for the service. There's a forum member here in bitcointalk who offer escrow service if you want to know where to find an escrow. I think you should wait for other forum members who is also in the same russia for better recommendation. Try visit Russian board here in the forum and see if there's someone who is willing to sell some bitcoin.

[pinggoki]

I'm not sure if there's an exchange that lets you use bank to buy Bitcoin but if you don't prefer using bank then you should tell your friend to buy Bitcoin P2P. When doing P2P, you should tell your friend to use an escrow service and of course you need to pay for the service. There's a forum member here in bitcointalk who offer escrow service if you want to know where to find an escrow. I think you should wait for other forum members who is also in the same russia for better recommendation. Try visit Russian board here in the forum and see if there's someone who is willing to sell some bitcoin.

This is probably the best thing to do given that there's a sanction looming, banks is probably not a really great option if you want a seamless transaction that doesn't have the government intervention, also can you confirm with your friend if he's going to be investigated by the bank in a sudden cash transfer from another account? If that's the case, best thing that your friend can do isn't to buy all at once but never do it consistently too so there's suspicions that will arise when you do the P2P transaction, @nakamura12's suggestions are good start for your friend OP, at the least when the recommendations don't you're good to go.

[mk4]

If your friend is fine with submitting AML/KYC documents, then Binance P2P is the GOAT. His/her bank doesn't even necessarily know that he/she's buying BTC because it's P2P.

Also did a quick search and yea, Binance P2P seems to be the way to go: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/126w19r/how_to_buy_bitcoin_in_russia/

[0t3p0t]

Tell your friend he can actually try OKX, Coinmama and Changelly they are trusted exchanges in Russia so I think you are safe to buy cryptocurrency and Bitcoin in there. Stated on the article below that president Vladimir Putin is in favor of crypto transactions. It is not banned on your country so you are safe.

The Bank of Russia has repeatedly warned investors that cryptocurrency markets are extremely volatile, and digital currencies are not allowed to be used as a method of payment domestically.

Despite this, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown acceptance of alternative currencies saying in an 2021 interview that cryptocurrency, “has the right to exist and can be used as a means of payment”.

Source: https://www.bitrawr.com/russia

I am not sure if this is an old or outdated article but yeah maybe dex will be your next choice if things goes wrong with cex.

[Gormicsta]

If your friend is fine with submitting AML/KYC documents, then Binance P2P is the GOAT. His/her bank doesn't even necessarily know that he/she's buying BTC because it's P2P.

Also did a quick search and yea, Binance P2P seems to be the way to go: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/126w19r/how_to_buy_bitcoin_in_russia/

Binance P2P is undoubtedly one of the easiest way to buy Bitcoin especially for countries that places a ban on Bitcoin, like Russia, but I don't think if anyone would wanna risk considering that option since it requires submitting KYC documents, especially new Bitcoin users who are very conscious of their privacy or anonymity, mostly for fear of being caught using crypto. So rather than recommending a CEX to such a person, I believe recommending a DEX would be a lot more appropriate and less risky for them.

[Z-tight]

If your friend is fine with submitting AML/KYC documents, then Binance P2P is the GOAT. His/her bank doesn't even necessarily know that he/she's buying BTC because it's P2P.

Didn't Binance leave the Russian market last year, and removed the Rubles from its 'peer to binance and binance to peer' platform, i don't think Russian customers can still use Binance, but correct me if i am wrong.

Any ideas how he could go about it given sanctions etc?

Your friend can check in different p2p exchanges and see if there is one with volume for BTC/RUB trade, if they can't find there and cannot get any person to trade p2p or f2f with, then they have to look for centralized exchanges that offer their services to Russian customers.

Binance P2P is undoubtedly one of the easiest way to buy Bitcoin especially for countries that places a ban on Bitcoin, like Russia

Bitcoin and cryptocurrency is not banned in Russia, what is prohibited is their usage as a payment option, i.e. you can buy and sell BTC in Russia, but you can spend BTC on goods and services.

[ImThour]

Maybe you can use the local language board of Russia on this forum to get more advice on how you or your friend can Buy Bitcoin in Russia.
I personally think the only possible way to do it is with a Decentralized Exchange, I am not sure if any CEX is there in Russia.
Asking in the local board is the best bet.

[criptoevangelista]

In my country there are some p2p marketplace sites, perhaps in yours you will find this in crypto communities on social media, here on the forum in your local board have you tried looking for any information?

[SamReomo]

Maybe you can use the local language board of Russia on this forum to get more advice on how you or your friend can Buy Bitcoin in Russia.

I agree with you, Russian local board seems to be the only good place to ask such questions because those who live in Russia can guide better that how someone from Russia can purchase Bitcoin with Rubble. I think on that board there might be those members also who might want to sell out their Bitcoin for Rubble, and in that case the user doesn't need to go anywhere else to find for the service because he might get a local guy from that board who may agree to sell him and his friend Bitcoin in exchange of Rubble.

[Cryptomultiplier]

If your friend is fine with submitting AML/KYC documents, then Binance P2P is the GOAT. His/her bank doesn't even necessarily know that he/she's buying BTC because it's P2P.

Also did a quick search and yea, Binance P2P seems to be the way to go: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/126w19r/how_to_buy_bitcoin_in_russia/

The friend in this case has to do his personal research firstly so as not to fall prey to other crypto currency scams or better still buy another Crypto that isn't BTC because it may be way cheaper and with the promise of doing better than BTC.

I like the fact that crypto is on a decentralized network that one can easily get without having to go through any financial institution like the banks to purchase. Even with the limited nature of using BTC or cryptocurrencies in Russia, the Binance P2p sure delivers as well and is an efficient and less stressful way to own some without even the government knowing about it.

[lovesmayfamilis]

Didn't Binance leave the Russian market last year, and removed the Rubles from its 'peer to binance and binance to peer' platform, i don't think Russian customers can still use Binance, but correct me if i am wrong.

As far as I know, Binance users who are citizens and residents of the Russian Federation are prohibited from trading on Binance P2P as of January 31, 2024.
https://www.aroged.com/2024/01/16/binance-will-prohibit-russians-from-conducting-p2p-trading-from-january-31/

For purchasing, the bestchange aggregator will probably be convenient, allowing many options for purchasing Bitcoin.

[mk4]

Didn't Binance leave the Russian market last year, and removed the Rubles from its 'peer to binance and binance to peer' platform, i don't think Russian customers can still use Binance, but correct me if i am wrong.

Totally no idea at all as I'm not from Russia, but I just did a quick Google (directed to Reddit) search and some are recommending Binance P2P so I just made the assumption that they can access it lol. https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/126w19r/how_to_buy_bitcoin_in_russia/

[BlackHatCoiner]

If your friend is fine with submitting AML/KYC documents, then Binance P2P is the GOAT. His/her bank doesn't even necessarily know that he/she's buying BTC because it's P2P.

Oh no. I wouldn't trust Binance the slightest on this sensitive situation, especially if I was living in Russia. Despite the sanctions, Binance was accused of selling personal data to Russia a couple of years ago. It wouldn't surprise me if their "peer-to-peer" feature was reported to the government.

Trade only decentrally, using Bisq!

[GbitG]

I have a friend in Russia who as a bank account with Sber Bank (in Rubles) and he would like to purchase some BTC.

Any ideas how he could go about it given sanctions etc?

I don't have any ideas about it that what wrong with Sber Bank and why the Russian government has sanctions on it. 

So I think you need to So I think you should take your complaint to the (Russian Board), hopefully the people there, the members of the (Russian Board), will be well aware of why the government has banned Sber Bank for any P2P merchant. Banned due to verification. But any way you can go there and ask him in his native language, he will guide you.
 
Beside that, if you have problems with or any restrictions on centralized exchange then it will be better for you to use DEX, i.e., decentralized exchange.

[Z-tight]

I don't have any ideas about it that what wrong with Sber Bank and why the Russian government has sanctions on it. 

There is nothing wrong with the bank op talked about, neither did the Russian government place any sanctions on it. The sanctions op is talking about is that which was imposed on Russia and Russian citizens by many countries and companies following the war between Russia and Ukraine.

[fuguebtc]

If your friend is fine with submitting AML/KYC documents, then Binance P2P is the GOAT. His/her bank doesn't even necessarily know that he/she's buying BTC because it's P2P.

Didn't Binance leave the Russian market last year, and removed the Rubles from its 'peer to binance and binance to peer' platform, i don't think Russian customers can still use Binance, but correct me if i am wrong.

In November last year, Binance announced to stop operations in Russia, but then CommEX acquired BInance's division and people can use CommEX instead of Binance. And removing RUB from P2P trading is not a big deal, people can use the RUB/USDT pair and then BTC/USDT to buy bitcoin.

If I were a newbie like the OP, I would consider using a centralized exchange instead of direct P2P, because there are a lot of scams and it is difficult to differentiate between real and scam. As a newbie, I can't make a profit yet so I don't want to lose money. Choosing top centralized exchanges is still safer.

[legendbtc]

If your friend is fine with submitting AML/KYC documents, then Binance P2P is the GOAT. His/her bank doesn't even necessarily know that he/she's buying BTC because it's P2P.

Oh no. I wouldn't trust Binance the slightest on this sensitive situation, especially if I was living in Russia. Despite the sanctions, Binance was accused of selling personal data to Russia a couple of years ago. It wouldn't surprise me if their "peer-to-peer" feature was reported to the government.

Trade only decentrally, using Bisq!

But my question is, according to you, Binance has been accused of selling personal data to the Russian government. So since this allegation was discovered, have any individuals had their bitcoins confiscated by the Russian government, or arrested? Everyone always talks about KYC, centralization...but has anyone been arrested or sent to jail by the police? Especially a country that does not ban bitcoin like Russia.

One more thing, for people like us with an investment of only a few thousand dollars, is that amount of money too big for the government to pay attention to us?