Русский
Russian fintech company A7 has launched the world’s first global payment service that allows customers to make cross-border transactions using cryptocurrency, expanding its reach beyond Russia despite Western sanctions.
The new service, called A7 International, allows customers to pay using USDT, a cryptocurrency pegged to the US dollar, while recipients receive conventional bank transfers through SWIFT without having to handle cryptocurrency themselves. The service was launched on Tuesday (October 13).
According to the company, payments are available in US dollars, euros, Chinese yuan and UAE dirhams and carry a commission of 0.3%. Transfers take a matter of minutes.
Pyotr Fradkov, chairman of Russian bank Promsvyazbank, which established A7, said that “The key demand among market participants today is the ability to transfer money around the world in just a few clicks, as quickly as possible.”
Customers can access the service online after verifying their identity and submitting an invoice. It is available in countries where cryptocurrency transactions are permitted under local law. A7 was established in 2024 in response to US and EU financial sanctions in 2022 that cut most Russian banks off from the SWIFT international financial messaging network.
The firm initially focused on foreign trade payments for Russian businesses but has since expanded its operations to more than 100 countries. It currently serves around 15,000 companies and processes over 2,000 transactions daily. According to the company, payments handled through its system exceeded US$125 billion in 2025.
Fradkov has previously said that A7 was intended not only to reduce dependence on Western financial infrastructure but also to facilitate trade between countries without Russia being involved. He argued that the sanctions have demonstrated how Western financial instrumentsican be a tool for political pressure and influencei The expansion comes shortly after Washington imposed sanctions on A7.
