A roundtable ‘Cryptocurrencies and new payment methods’ took place in Tashkent. The meeting was organised by the Department for Fighting Tax and Currency Crimes and General Office of Public Prosecutor of Uzbekistan.
The international event gathered experts on digital currencies from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, including representatives of the Eurasian group for combating money-laundering and financing terrorism (EAG). The participants discussed several issues such as ways of bitcoin regulation and anti-money laundering policies.
The EAG was established in 2004 for the countries of the Eurasian region not included in the existing FATF-style regional groups. It counts among its members Russia, India and China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The aim of the organisation is to assist reducing the threat of international terrorism and ensure transparency, reliability and security of the financial systems of the member states.
The enthusiasm for bitcoin is growing in Central Asia. A bitcoin ATM in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, which remains the only BTM in the region, has featured in the news recently. In Kazakhstan a bitcoin centre has been opened to promote cryptocurrency in the country and to encourage the dialogue between the regulators and the bitcoin community.
Sonya Belova