After an abortive attempt at banning cryptocurrency exchange platforms in 2015 which the courts overturned, the Russian authorities are making another attempt.

Sergei Shvetsov, the deputy governor of Russia's central bank, has stated in public that he wants to block access to the websites of crypto-exchanges. This is likely to preclude initial coin offerings or ICOs if it comes into force.

The Russian central bank has always disliked the speculative side of crypto-currency investment, not to mention the volatility of prices in roubles, but its main problem with cryptocurrency appears to be its inability to control money-flows. Shvetsov said that the Bitcoin market resembled a Ponzi scheme.

In August, according to Reuters, deputy finance minister Alexei Moiseev mused aloud about legislation to regulate Bitcoin appearing next year.