The Impact of International Sanctions on Traffic ArbitrageVPNs, Geo-Bans, SDK Bans, Payment Blocks — What Actually Works?

In recent years, the arbitrage market has faced significant turbulence: unstable payment systems, restricted geos, traffic crashes due to SDK blocks, and ad bans. One of the main causes of this instability has been international sanctions, which affect not only businesses and governments but also both “gray” and “white” traffic. Let’s break down which restrictions really hurt — and which ones can be bypassed with minimal losses.

Geo-Ban: When the World Gets Smaller

Country-based restrictions are one of the most visible effects of sanctions. Many advertising platforms, networks, and payment providers limit their work with users or partners from sanctioned countries. This affects both big players (Meta, Google, TikTok) and even more “loyal” systems.

⚠️ What does this mean for an arbitrageur?
– Ad account creation or campaign launches are blocked by IP
– Ad accounts gets banned, even if promoting a permitted offer
– Affiliate approvals are denied based on nationality

🛠️ Workarounds:
– Use of anti-detect browsers (Dolphin Anty, AdsPower, Incogniton)
– Creating ad accounts via proxies from “friendly” countries
– Registering businesses in neutral territories (UAE, Kazakhstan, Serbia)

Conclusion: Geo-bans are serious, but not insurmountable. For experienced arbitrageurs, it’s more of a side quest than a dead end.

VPNs — A Lifesaver or Just Another Risk Layer?

With widespread IP and geo blocks, VPNs have become a must-have tool for traffic testing and launching. But VPN services themselves are increasingly facing regulation and limitations.

🔥 VPN Issues:
– Some VPNs assign “flagged” IPs — instant ad account bans
– Popular providers (NordVPN, Surfshark) started excluding IP ranges from “undesirable” countries
– VPN usage can be detected via fingerprints if not paired with anti-detect tools

✅ Practical Solutions:
– Use expensive or custom proxies (mobile, residential)
– Set up proxies via custom VPS with the required exit nodes
– Choose anonymous VPNs from lesser-known providers

Conclusion: VPNs still work, but without anti-detect tools and a solid setup, they can do more harm than good. Proxies + anti-detect is a safer combo, with VPNs as a backup.

SDKs and Sanctions: Playing on the Edge of a Ban

Many advertising SDKs (especially in mobile) are now at risk due to sanctions. Google Play and App Store have begun purging SDKs linked to certain countries or companies. This affects both ad sources and monetization strategies.

📉 What’s Happening?
– SDKs from “undesirable” jurisdictions are being delisted
– SDKs are often outdated or incompatible with some devices
– This impacts analytics, event tracking, and retargeting

👀 How Arbitrageurs Adapt:
– Switching to neutral or Western SDKs
– Rebranding SDKs under different jurisdictions (white label)
– Dropping in-app monetization in favor of external traffic flows (pre-landing page → landing page)

Conclusion: SDKs are a weak point in mobile arbitrage. For those working with Android apps, constant monitoring and fast repackaging of SDK libraries are essential.

Payments: Instability at Entry and Exit Points

International sanctions have hit payment systems hard. Several countries have lost access to Stripe, PayPal, Revolut, Wise. Card transfers are delayed, SWIFT becomes unreliable, and local banks struggle to keep pace with the market.

💸 Where It Hurts Most:
– Difficulty paying for traffic (especially in Meta and Google Ads)
– Trouble withdrawing money from affiliate programs and networks
– Many payment providers don’t work with individuals or businesses from sanctioned countries

🔄 Workarounds:
– Use intermediaries (trusted accounts, friends in Europe)
– Register business accounts abroad (Estonia, Cyprus, Turkey)
– Switch to cryptocurrency, if the affiliate network allows it

⚠️ Risks:
– Delays and freezes due to AML checks
– Sudden account bans
– Fees up to 10–15% when withdrawing via intermediaries

Conclusion: Financial infrastructure is the most vulnerable part under sanctions. Any serious arbitrageur already has at least 2–3 backup methods for payments and withdrawals.

What Actually Works in 2025?

✅ Effective Tactics:
– Anti-detect browsers with mobile proxies
– Registering ad accounts via teams in “clean” countries
– Using crypto-friendly payment methods (e.g., Binance Pay)
– “White” or hybrid ad funnels (less toxic creatives, pre-landing pages)

❌ What No Longer Works (or Works Poorly):
– VPNs without anti-detect tools
– Direct ad launches from sanctioned IPs
– Attempting to bypass sanctions via cheap hosting or public proxies

Conclusion

Sanctions introduce real challenges to traffic arbitrage — but they don’t make it impossible. Arbitrage as an industry has always been adaptable, and current restrictions are just another phase of evolution. Those willing to invest in infrastructure, adaptability, and testing continue to scale and earn.

Where previously proxies and a working scheme were enough, today legalization, multi-accounting, robust financial setups, and fast decision-making are critical.And as always:
It’s not the strongest who survives — it’s the fastest to adapt.