At the early stages Russia ruled it as illegal, China outlawed all withdrawals and some other country also spoke against it. But now everything seem to be smoothing up at least on the government side. Surely Bitcoin must be seen as challenging their authority. Is there something I am failing to see? All it would take is a 51% attack or a new law.
Russia and China are very strict with their people, they can impose their will on their people, but not so on countries that have a democratic or liberal form of government, they can tax it, they can regulate but I doubt if they can make it vanish.