Anna Baydakova

Investigative Reporter

Anna writes about blockchain projects and regulation with a special focus on Eastern Europe and Russia. She is especially excited about stories on privacy, cybercrime, sanctions policies and censorship resistance of decentralized technologies.
She graduated from the Saint Petersburg State University and the Higher School of Economics in Russia and got her Master's degree at Columbia Journalism School in New York City.
She joined CoinDesk after years of writing for various Russian media, including the leading political outlet Novaya Gazeta.
Anna owns BTC and an NFT of sentimental value.

Latest from Anna Baydakova

Policy

Putin Signs Russian Crypto Bill Into Law

Russia's president signed the first of two bills on digital assets into law on Friday.

Jul 31, 2020

Vladimir Putin (Evgenii Sribnyi/Shutterstock)

Policy

Suspects Detained in Ukraine for Bomb Threats Demanding Bitcoin

Ukraine's security service detained two suspected terrorists who threatened to blow up buildings if they didn't receive bitcoin.

Jul 30, 2020

Markets

The Future for Unregulated Bitcoin Exchanges

CoinDesk's Anna Baydakova talks to non-custodial p2p exchanges Hodl Hodl and Bisq about why we still want no-KYC bitcoin.

Jul 26, 2020

Policy

French Officials Move to Start Trial of Alleged BTC-e Operator Alexander Vinnik

The alleged BTC-e operator stands accused of extortion, aggravated money laundering and conspiracy.

Jul 24, 2020

Policy

Russia's FSB Is Making Life Harder for Blockchain Companies

The FSB, Russia’s security agency, wants blockchain companies to certify with them. This could push foreign companies out of the market.

Jul 23, 2020

Enigma cipher machine (EQRoy/Shutterstock)

Policy

Russia to Treat Crypto as a Taxable Property

Russia changed its draft bill regulating crypto and digital assets. You won’t go to jail for facilitating crypto deals in the country – at least, not just yet.

Jul 21, 2020

Policy

Russian Activists Use Bitcoin, and the Kremlin Doesn't Like It

Activists and dissidents in Russia use crypto for fundraising – yet widespread adoption is still far away.

Jul 15, 2020

Alexei Navalny, Russian opposition politician (Konstantin Egorychev/Shutterstock)

Policy

Russian Courts Can't Agree on Whether Crypto Is Property

A Russian court convicted two men for extortion, but did not force them to return over $900,000 in crypto since crypto has no legal definition as property. Other courts have taken a different view.

Jul 3, 2020

Russia's Supreme Court (E.O./Shutterstock)

Tech

Bug in Moscow’s Blockchain Polling System Can Reveal How Users Voted: Report

The vulnerability allowed users votes in the recent constitutional poll to be decrypted, Russian journalists found.

Jul 2, 2020

Markets

To His Own Surprise, Crypto Volume Pumper's Business Is Still Thriving

Remember that college student who spoke candidly about inflating crypto trading volumes? He’s still at it – and COVID-19 has kept his business brisk.

Jun 30, 2020

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