# Russia
A home country of Vitalik Buterin, Russia is often seen as a hidden powerhouse for cryptos at a global scale. Lagging behind only the USA in the number of global crypto traders, Russia can be said to have been riding crypto wave ever since it appeared, with even its top leaders being keen on exploring the potential of this technology. Yet, the news coming from Russia do not always paint a rosy picture, considering that Russia is often facing contradictory initiatives when it comes to regulating cryptos. Despite the praise coming from some politicians in the past, the Russian authorities have also attempted to block crypto-related sites. At the same time, the country has seen on ongoing public debate on a new set of crypto laws which would allow the government to block websites on behalf of the country’s Central Bank.