Russian Digital Token A7A5 Hits $100 Billion in Transactions Amid Falling Demand
MOSCOW: The Russian digital asset A7A5, created to circumvent international sanctions, has surpassed $100 billion in cumulative transaction volume since its launch, although demand is now declining amid tightening European Union restrictions.
According to analytics firm Elliptic, the A7A5 stablecoin, which operates on the Ethereum and Tron networks, has attracted over 41,300 unique users, with total trading volume reaching $17.3 billion. However, daily volumes have fallen from a peak of $1.5 billion to around $500 million, reflecting the impact of increased regulatory pressure.
The decline in activity is largely attributed to EU sanctions that came into force in November 2025, which prohibit any European entities from participating in transactions involving the token.
The A7A5 project is a joint venture between company A7, associated with fugitive Moldovan banker Ilan Shor, and the Russian state-owned Promsvyazbank. Shor’s networks reportedly assist Russian businesses in conducting cross-border payments blocked by Western banks. These schemes also involve the Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, which facilitates the conversion of digital assets for settlements with international counterparties.
Analysts note that while A7A5 initially gained traction as a sanctions-evading mechanism, the introduction of EU restrictions has slowed its growth and limited its adoption among global users.
