Anna Baydakova

Anna writes about blockchain projects and regulation with a special focus on Eastern Europe and Russia. She is especially excited about stories on privacy, cybercrime, sanctions policies and censorship resistance of decentralized technologies.
She graduated from the Saint Petersburg State University and the Higher School of Economics in Russia and got her Master's degree at Columbia Journalism School in New York City.
She joined CoinDesk after years of writing for various Russian media, including the leading political outlet Novaya Gazeta.
Anna owns BTC and an NFT of sentimental value.

Anna Baydakova

Latest from Anna Baydakova


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Crypto Miners From US, EU Stay Put in Russia Despite War, Sanctions

The war in Ukraine may have undermined many Russian companies, but not mining facilities: Clients from the West keep coming to the country for cheap power and reliable uptime.

A MEATEC mining facility in Russia (MEATEC)

Finance

Russian Millionaire’s Startup Plans Ruble Stablecoin Following DAI Model

The firm founded by Russian ex-banker Alexander Lebedev plans to introduce the coin on the Ethereum blockchain.

Alexander Lebedev in his Moscow office

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Air Gap? Hardware Wallet? Multisig? Bitcoin Self-Storage Means Hard Choices

Wallet manufacturers debated the best ways to store bitcoin private keys safely at the BalticHoneybadger conference in Riga.

To achieve financial autonomy, you need to be in full control of your cryptographic private keys. (Metropolitan Museum of Art, modified by CoinDesk)

Finance

MicroStrategy, With Bitcoin's Price Depressed, Looks to Lightning to Boost Usage, Saylor Says

The company is developing solutions for big enterprises to join the Lightning network, the chairman said.

Michael Saylor speaking at the Baltic Honeybadger conference in Riga, Latvia, Sept. 3, 2022.

Finance

There’s a New Platform for Bitcoin-Backed Borrowing and It’s Courting Banks to Lend

Max Keidun, CEO of non-custodial bitcoin exchange Hold Hodl, is launching a decentralized platform for stablecoin and fiat loans with Casa, Blockstream, Bitfinex and others.

"The Sailor and the Banker," 1799 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

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Binance Froze Russian Gun Maker's Crypto Assets, Amid Ukrainian Pressure

Vladislav Lobaev, a Russian gun manufacturer, raised $21,000 in crypto for the war in Ukraine before the world’s largest crypto exchange locked down the funds.

Russian arms manufacturer Vladislav Lobaev (Lobaev Arms)

Finance

Sanctioned Bitcoin Mining Firm BitRiver Loses Another Client as SBI Leaves: Sources

The Japanese bank is at least the second big name to emerge as ceasing work with BitRiver after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Russian firm in April.

A BitRiver mining facility in Siberia. (Anna Baydakova/CoinDesk)