Illuminated mining rigs function inside racks on the CryptoUniverse cryptocurrency mining farm in Nadvoitsy, Russia.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin thinks cryptocurrencies have worth — however he is not satisfied they’ll substitute the U.S. greenback in settling oil trades.
Some months in the past, Russia’s deputy prime minister, Alexander Novak, advised the nation could move away from greenback-denominated crude contracts if the U.S. continues to impose focused financial sanctions.
Requested whether or not bitcoin or one other cryptocurrency might be used as a substitute for the greenback, Putin stated it is “too early to speak concerning the commerce of vitality assets in crypto.”
“I consider that it has worth,” he advised CNBC’s Hadley Gamble on the Russia Power Week occasion in Moscow Wednesday. “However I do not consider it may be used within the oil commerce.”
“Cryptocurrency will not be supported by something as of but,” Putin stated. “It could exist as a way of fee, however I believe it is too early to say concerning the oil commerce in cryptocurrency.”
The Russian chief additionally flagged cryptocurrencies’ huge consumption of vitality as a possible barrier to their use. Bitcoin requires a lot of computing energy to course of transactions and mint new tokens.