Government officials in Moscow today revealed plans to investigate applications of blockchain technology.
According to a report by Gazeta.ru, Deputy Head of the Department of Information Technologies (DIT) of Moscow Andrey Belozerov said that the agency is now exploring how to apply blockchain to various use cases, including voting fraud.
One proposal, according to the news source, would find Moscow incorporating blockchain into Active Citizen, an in-progress e-government effort aimed at getting citizens more involved in local decision-making.
Sberbank, one of Russia’s largest banks, may participate in the effort.
The announcement is the latest to follow an apparent uptake in interest in the technology domestically, one that has mirrored developments globally.
Though elements of the government had previously pushed for a ban on cryptocurrencies, these positions have changed in recent weeks as major financial institutions have expressed interest in exploring its use.
Moscow train via Shutterstock