Vladimir Smerkis Arrested in Moscow | Blum Co-Founder, Ex-Binance CIS Head

Blum Co-Founder and Former Binance CIS Head Vladimir Smerkis Arrested in Moscow

By Charlotte Hayes

A Moscow court has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Smerkis, co-founder of crypto startup Blum and former head of Binance Exchange operations in the CIS region. The charges relate to alleged involvement in a high-level fraud case, according to reports from the Zamoskvoretsky District Court.

Smerkis, a prominent figure in Eastern Europe's crypto ecosystem, previously played a key role in expanding Binance's presence across Russian-speaking markets. He later co-founded Blum, a decentralized platform focused on simplifying crypto trading through Telegram-based mini apps and gamified features.

Details surrounding the case remain limited, but the charges reportedly fall under economic crimes legislation, with authorities citing "large-scale fraud" as the primary accusation. It is unclear at this stage whether the charges are directly linked to his activities at Binance, Blum, or other ventures.

The arrest is likely to send ripples through the CIS crypto startup scene, where Smerkis was known for championing community-led growth, influencer partnerships, and Web3 product design.