A7: Ruble Stablecoin Moved Nearly $100B Amid Sanctions

A7 reported that its ruble stablecoin A7A5 has been used to move nearly $100 billion for entities under Western sanctions. The company said the volume accompanies a shift toward digital payment rails as restrictions limit access to traditional systems.

Founded in 2024, A7 works with more than 10,000 trade partners and intermediates nearly one-fifth of Russian international settlements, the company reported. A7A5 is a ruble-denominated stablecoin issued by Old Vector on behalf of A7 and has digital financial asset status for cross-border settlements, according to the company.

Stanislav Lazarev, A7’s first deputy general director for sales, provided figures on the changing currency mix. He reported the ruble now represents more than 53% of importers’ foreign trade transactions. Combined with currencies of friendly countries, those currencies account for about 85% of trade, A7 reported.

Lazarev predicted a rapid move to alternative payment systems: “If we look at a one- to two-year horizon, we’ll see a complete transition to alternative and independent payment solutions. Western compliance pressure and the risk of secondary sanctions won’t go away.” He also noted interest in traditional instruments such as bills of exchange alongside newer tools like stablecoins.

A7 said the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the European Union and the U.K. have targeted the token and related entities. The company reported that centralized exchanges where the token could be traded were targeted and, in some cases, attacked, but it did not provide further details on those incidents.

A7 presented its figures and forecasts as evidence of a broader change in how some Russian firms and payment providers handle cross-border payments. The company reported that concentrating transactions within a narrower set of currencies and developing digital-asset capabilities has allowed clients to continue settling trade despite restrictions.