The Russian ruble-backed A7A5 stablecoin continued to grow despite Western sanctions, processing more than $110 billion in cumulative onchain transactions, according to CertiK.
CertiK said A7A5 processed over $110 billion in cumulative onchain transactions, captured about 43% of the global non-US dollar stablecoin market, and that its holder count rose from 13,000 to 29,000 wallets between February 2025 and May 2026.
The security company described A7A5 as one of the clearest examples of a sanctions-evasion stablecoin ecosystem, linking it to Russian cross-border settlement companies.
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The growth highlights the limits of Western sanctions against blockchain-based payment systems, including the European Union’s 19th sanctions package, adopted on Oct. 23, 2025, which prohibited transactions involving A7A5 from Nov. 12. CertiK said the reserve structure places key assets outside direct Western enforcement reach.
A7A5 cumulative activity, all-time chart. Source: CertiK
A7A5 was issued in January 2025 by Old Vector LLC, a Kyrgyz entity acting on behalf of the Russian cross-border-settlement
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