The European Union has named 14 crypto-related platforms and service providers that will become subject to transaction bans under its 21st sanctions package against Russia.
Key Takeaways
- Three A7-linked services face restrictions from August 13, while the remaining 11 follow on August 23.
- The list includes HTX, EXMO, BitPapa, Rapira and other crypto and payment operators.
- A new mechanism could later restrict crypto services across an entire non-EU country, but no country has yet been designated.
- Parallel rules expand ownership restrictions involving Russian and Belarusian nationals across MiCA-regulated crypto services from August 25.
The list includes HTX, legally identified as Huobi Global SA, alongside EXMO, BitPapa, Rapira and several smaller crypto, payment and exchange operators. Three services linked to the A7 cross-border payments network were also included.
According to the Council of the European Union, the 14 platforms are based across Georgia, Panama, the United Arab Emirates, the Marshall Islands, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus.
The measure is targeted at the entities named in the legal act. It is not a general ban on cryptocurrency trading, every non-EU exchange or every crypto company operating from those six jurisdictions.
The 14 Crypto Services Named by the EU
The names and effective dates appear in Council Regulation (EU) 2026/1848, which adds the entities to Annex XLV of the EU’s Russia sanctions framework.
| Crypto-Related Entity | Transaction Ban Begins |
|---|---|
| A7 Nigeria | August 13, 2026 |
| A7 Africa | August 13, 2026 |
| PilotFinance Ltd | August 13, 2026 |
| Rapira | August 23, 2026 |
| Aifory Pro (Sooty Ltd.) | August 23, 2026 |
| ABCeX (Nueva Cryptologia S.A.S DE C.V.) | August 23, 2026 |
| WhiteBird | August 23, 2026 |
| NoOnecrypto INC. | August 23, 2026 |
| Tradex (Brightum LLC) | August 23, 2026 |
| Monease Ltd | August 23, 2026 |
| BitPapa | August 23, 2026 |
| Exnode and Exnode Pay (Arvix) | August 23, 2026 |
| HTX (Huobi Global SA) | August 23, 2026 |
| EXMO Ltd | August 23, 2026 |
The Council says the entities significantly frustrate the purpose of EU sanctions or help preserve financial channels used by Russia.
That is the legal basis stated by the EU. Inclusion in Annex XLV is a restrictive measure, not a criminal conviction against a company or its executives.
What the Transaction Ban Covers
The regulation prohibits direct and indirect transactions with the listed entities once the relevant effective date arrives.
That reaches beyond a bank transfer sent directly to a named platform. It can also cover payment processing, commercial arrangements and transactions routed through intermediaries when the sanctioned entity remains the real counterparty or beneficiary.
The measure is not the same as a universal asset freeze on every wallet that has previously interacted with one of the services. The entities were added to an annex carrying a transaction prohibition.
The legal act also does not establish a fixed blockchain-screening distance. It does not say that every wallet three or five transfers away from a listed platform must automatically be blocked. Regulated businesses still need controls capable of identifying indirect exposure, but the assessment depends on the transaction, counterparties and available evidence rather than a standard number of blockchain “hops.”
Existing Customers May Need Approval to Withdraw
The regulation contains a limited route for certain existing customers who hold funds with an entity added to Annex XLV on or after July 24, 2026.
A national competent authority may authorise a transaction that is strictly necessary to withdraw funds or close an account belonging to an EU, European Economic Area or Swiss national, or a person holding a temporary or permanent residence permit in one of those jurisdictions.
Several conditions apply:
- The transaction must end the customer’s operations, contracts or other arrangements with the listed entity.
- The request for authorisation must be submitted within three months of the date on which the ban begins for that entity.
- The funds must be transferred to an EU financial or credit institution, or to a qualifying institution controlled by an EU financial institution.
Any authorisation can be granted for a maximum period of three months.
This is not an automatic withdrawal window. Customers should not assume that trading, transfers or withdrawals can continue after August 13 or August 23 simply because an account was opened before the restrictions took effect.
The application procedure and supporting evidence will depend on the competent sanctions authority in the relevant member state.
The EU Created a Country-Level Crypto Ban Mechanism
The package also creates a legal tool that could eventually reach beyond individually named platforms.
New Article 5bc allows the EU to prohibit direct and indirect transactions with crypto-asset service providers and exchange or transfer platforms established in an entire non-EU country.
The Council can designate a country when it determines that the jurisdiction has systematically and persistently failed to prevent crypto services from being used to frustrate EU sanctions.
Article 5bc creates the legal power. Annex LVII has a separate function: it is the schedule in which any country placed under that restriction would be named.
Annex LVII currently contains only its title and no jurisdictions. The mechanism therefore exists in law but has not yet been activated against a country.
Coindoo previously examined the proposal in its analysis of how the EU’s 21st sanctions package could cut crypto access for Russia’s allies. The final regulation confirms the structure: Article 5bc supplies the authority, while Annex LVII identifies any jurisdiction to which the restriction is applied.
The six countries associated with the 14 listed platforms have not been placed under a blanket jurisdiction-wide prohibition. At present, the restriction applies to the named entities.
A7A5 Was Already Restricted Before the 21st Package
The latest package increases pressure on the A7 payments network, but it did not introduce the EU’s first restriction involving the A7A5 stablecoin.
The EU had already prohibited transactions involving A7A5 through its 19th sanctions package in October 2025. That package also targeted the stablecoin’s developer, its Kyrgyz issuer and the operator of a platform where significant A7A5 volumes were traded.
The 21st package extends the restrictions around the network by adding A7 Nigeria, A7 Africa and PilotFinance to the transaction-ban list.
The Council separately announced four new designations connected to the cross-border A7 network, including its links to Africa.
Sanctions and MiCA Serve Different Purposes
The measures arrived shortly after the end of the maximum MiCA transition period, but the two frameworks should not be treated as the same regulatory action.
MiCA governs the authorisation, organisation and conduct of crypto-asset service providers operating in the EU market.
The sanctions framework determines whether transactions with particular companies, people, services or jurisdictions are prohibited for foreign-policy and security reasons.
A crypto provider was not added to Annex XLV simply because it lacked a MiCA licence. Equally, holding an EU authorisation does not allow a regulated company to transact with a sanctioned counterparty.
The 14 listings are sanctions measures and should not be described as ordinary MiCA licensing or enforcement cases.
Russia and Belarus Ownership Rules Expand in Parallel
The July legal acts also broaden existing ownership and management restrictions under two separate sanctions regimes.
Russian nationals and residents
Since January 18, 2024, Russian nationals and natural persons residing in Russia have generally been prohibited from directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding positions in the governing bodies of EU companies that provide crypto-wallet, crypto-account or custody services.
From August 25, 2026, Regulation (EU) 2026/1848 extends that restriction to EU companies providing other crypto-asset services defined under MiCA.
Belarusian nationals and residents
A parallel restriction applies under the separate Belarus sanctions framework.
Since March 26, 2025, Belarusian nationals and natural persons residing in Belarus have generally been prohibited from owning, controlling or holding governing-body positions in EU companies providing crypto-wallet, crypto-account or custody services.
From August 25, 2026, Council Regulation (EU) 2026/1846 extends that ban to EU companies providing the wider range of crypto-asset services covered by MiCA.
These ownership restrictions are legally distinct from the transaction bans on the 14 platforms. One governs dealings with named foreign entities, while the other governs who may own, control or manage certain EU-incorporated crypto businesses.
Penalties Are Applied Through National Law
The EU regulations apply across member states, but investigations, prosecutions and penalties are handled by national authorities.
Directive (EU) 2024/1226 requires member states to treat intentional violations and circumvention of EU restrictive measures as criminal offences in specified circumstances.
The directive creates common minimum rules, but it does not impose an identical sentence or corporate penalty for every violation in all 27 member states.
The consequences depend on factors including intent, the value and nature of the transaction, the role of intermediaries and the national legislation implementing the directive.
What EU Users and Crypto Firms Should Check
- Confirm the legal entity. A brand may operate through several companies, while the sanctions annex identifies particular legal names and aliases.
- Check the effective date. The restrictions begin on August 13 for three A7-linked services and August 23 for the other 11 platforms.
- Do not assume an intermediary makes the transaction lawful. The prohibition covers indirect as well as direct dealings.
- Review national guidance before attempting a withdrawal. Closing an existing account may require authorisation.
- Keep screening and transaction records. Businesses should be able to explain how counterparties, beneficiaries and payment routes were checked.
- Separate sanctions checks from licensing checks. MiCA authorisation does not override a transaction prohibition.
The immediate effect of the package is the scheduled cutoff of transactions with the 14 named crypto services.
The country-level mechanism could produce a much wider restriction in the future, but only if the Council formally adds a jurisdiction to Annex LVII. Until that happens, the new power remains available but unused.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, regulatory or financial advice. Individuals and businesses affected by EU sanctions should review the official regulations, guidance from their national competent authority and advice from a qualified sanctions professional before making or attempting a transaction.
Kosta has reported on cryptocurrency markets and blockchain infrastructure since 2020, bringing over six years of hands-on experience in the crypto industry built through daily tracking of markets, trends, and emerging blockchain developments. Specializing in Bitcoin on-chain analysis, institutional ETF flows, and digital asset price action, his work at Coindoo has been cited by other news agencies and consistently covers market developments with a focus on data-driven reporting across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP.
Over the years, Kosta has contributed to multiple crypto media outlets in different regions, authoring over 6,000 articles across the sector. His reporting spans cryptocurrency markets and the broader fintech industry, tracking not only price action but also the technological and regulatory forces shaping the ecosystem.
To support his analysis, Kosta actively leverages on-chain data and metrics from leading platforms such as Santiment, Glassnode, and CryptoQuant, enabling deeper, evidence-based market insights. He believes in the power of transparency and the data that underpins the blockchain ecosystem.
His academic background in Marketing Management from Denmark further complements his analytical approach, adding a strong understanding of communication strategy and content positioning to his work.
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