Bitstamp, a European Union-based bitcoin marketplace, has announced that it has re-enabled all access to its website for Russia-based users, Coinfox reported.
“Effective immediately @Bitstamp is again accessible in Russia”, the company tweeted.
In January, Bitstamp decided to temporarily block access to its website from Russian IP addresses, following reports that said Russian lawmakers submitted a new draft bill to the country’s legislative assembly Duma in December that aims to ban digital currencies such as bitcoin.
However, in a letter to its customers the company said that it will continue serving Russian customers, further inviting them to login to their accounts.
Explaining the reason behind its temporary ban, it said, “The block was put in place after the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) imposed a block of our website for all of our Russian customers. The issue has now been resolved.”
In addition, as a token of appreciation for its customers’ patience, trust, and wiliness, the company said that all Russian customers who held an active account with Bitstamp on 14th January 2016 will receive commission free trading until 1st March 2016.
Russia has maintained an anti-bitcoin stance for quite some time now and has been making efforts to ban its use in the country – a draft bill seeking bitcoin ban submitted to Duma; bitcoin users likely to be fined 0.5 million rubles or jailed for 2 years and recently Russian Presidential Advisor saying that accepting bitcoin is a crime.
