Vlad Coin, a cryptocurrency launched just a week ago with an initial market capitalization of approximately $5,000, has rapidly surged to over $1 million, with projections suggesting it could reach $15 million within the month. The coin, built on the Solana blockchain, has gained traction among Russian investors and supporters of President Vladimir Putin, drawing comparisons to other politically themed cryptocurrencies like TrumpCoin. Despite experiencing volatility, including a drop of over 70% in market value during a single day, Vlad Coin's growth has been described as organic, driven by genuine market interest rather than artificial promotion. Concurrently, Russia's largest exchange, the Moscow Exchange, officially launched Bitcoin futures trading on June 4, 2025, available exclusively to qualified investors. These futures contracts are cash-settled, quoted in U.S. dollars, and settled in Russian rubles, benchmarked to BlackRock's U.S.-listed iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (ticker IBIT). This development marks a notable expansion of crypto derivatives in Russia and follows Sberbank's recent approval of Bitcoin-linked structured bonds. The Moscow Exchange's move is seen as a significant step in integrating cryptocurrency trading within Russia's financial markets, attracting interest from local billionaires and institutional investors.