[Russian Central Bank Warns: Large-Scale Shift of Russian Pyramid Schemes to Cryptocurrency] According to DL News, the Russian Central Bank has warned that financial pyramid scheme organizers in the country have massively shifted to using cryptocurrency. In 2025, Russian citizens sent funds to cryptocurrency wallets held by fraudsters, involving over 4,600 wallet addresses. Last year, the central bank identified 7,087 fraudulent schemes, including financial pyramid schemes and fake brokers, 80% of which operated online, with most using cryptocurrency and money mules to transfer funds. In 2025, 84% of fraudsters used cryptocurrency to raise funds, up from 77% in 2024. The Russian Central Bank has ordered the blocking of 21,500 related web pages and social media posts. The central bank noted that fraudsters choose cryptocurrency to maintain anonymity and evade punishment and has pledged to strengthen monitoring and intensify efforts to combat crypto-related fraud.