MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian companies have begun using bitcoin and other digital currencies in international payments after legislative changes allowing such use to counter Western sanctions, the Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday.

The sanctions have complicated Russia’s trade with its major partners such as China or Turkey, because local banks are extremely cautious in transactions related to Russia to avoid scrutiny from Western regulators.

This year, Russia allowed the use of cryptocurrencies in foreign trade and took steps to make it legal to mine cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin. Russia is one of the world leaders in bitcoin mining.

“As part of the experimental regime, it is possible to use bitcoins, which we mine here in Russia (in foreign trade transactions),” Siluanov told the Russian television channel 24.

“Such transactions are already happening. We believe that they should be expanded and improved. I am confident that they will happen next year,” he said, adding that international payments in digital currencies represent the future.

Earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin said the current US administration is undermining the role of the US dollar as a reserve currency by using it for political purposes, forcing many countries to turn to alternative assets.

He chose bitcoin as an example of such assets, saying that no one in the world can control bitcoin. Putin’s comments show that the Russian leader supports the widespread use of cryptocurrencies.