Russia just legalized crypto for international trade.

The Duma passed a law classifying $BTC as property and creating legal channels to pay foreign partners in crypto — bypassing the dollar and SWIFT entirely.

This is Russia's answer to Western sanctions. No dollar rails? No problem. Crypto becomes the settlement layer.

Domestic payments in crypto still banned — the ruble remains the only legal tender inside Russia.

Law goes live September 1st, pending Putin's signature.

This isn't just policy. It's a geopolitical shift. Nation-states are now openly using crypto to route around financial sanctions. The playbook is being written in real time.