EU Blocks Belarusians from Crypto Service Providers Starting August 25

The European Union has expanded its sanctions against Belarus to include all crypto service providers, effective August 25. This move is part of the EU's efforts to target entities that help Russia evade sanctions imposed over its war in Ukraine.

Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/1847 amends the EU's sanctions framework targeting Belarus and prohibits Belarusian nationals and residents from owning, controlling or managing crypto exchanges and other service providers regulated under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. This restriction now applies to all types of crypto services, including operating trading platforms, exchanging crypto assets, and providing investment advice.

The decision comes weeks after the end of MiCA's transition period on July 1. The EU has also extended its transaction ban to 14 crypto-related service platforms outside the bloc and introduced a mechanism allowing it to prohibit dealings with any foreign crypto provider used by Russia to evade sanctions.