The recent ban of LocalBitcoins in Russia a source of great controversy. While the internet watchdog wants ISPS to restrict access to this site, Russian Bitcoin enthusiasts are posting solutions to bypass this problem. Using Tor or a VPN connection will let users access the website without any issues. Bitcoin will not be held down in Russia, by the look of things, which is positive news.
Russians Can Bypass LocalBitcoins Blockade
Whenever governments or internet service providers attempt to restrict Internet access, there will be multiple ways to bypass this blockade. The recent decision by Russian watchdog Roskomnadzor to block LocalBitcoins does not sit well with local crypto enthusiasts. Moreover, the company has issued guides on how to access the platform by using Tor or a VPN provider.
When the ban was announced, there were a lot of mixed feelings among the Bitcoin community. Russia does not want to ban Bitcoin for now, but they do restrict access to the most popular peer-to-peer trading platform. All of this sends a conflicted message, leaving none the wiser.
Interestingly enough, LocalBitcoins seems to be gaining more popularity in Russia than ever before. With the trading volume on the rise for nine consecutive weeks, it was evident Russians favor cryptocurrency. The news that WebMoney now accepts Bitcoin payments only further validates this observation.
Bypassing these ISP restrictions will not prove to be overly difficult. Using a VPN service, of even the Tor browser, will let users access LocalBitcoins once again. The LocalBitcoins team even posted instructions on their blog – in Russian – to make this process a trivial one. Moreover, this goes to show the future of Bitcoin in Russia is looking less bleak than some people might anticipate.
Roskomnadzor, the Russian media watchdog, has never been positive on Bitcoin. After blocking various news sites last year, the move against LocalBitcoins goes to show there is still a lot of tension. Additionally, access to BTC-E was restricted for Russian users earlier in 2016 as well.
For the time being, it remains uncertain how the Bitcoin situation in Russia will evolve. Conflicting messages every other week are making it difficult to plan ahead. This “ban” against LocalBitcoins is not overly serious, though, as it can be bypassed with relative ease. An interesting Bitcoin ecosystem in Russia, that much is certain.
Source: LocalBitcoins
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