> The examples you state are not the primary reason that people want to be paid in crypto

This claim can be dismissed as easily as it was made. Quite literally everyone I know getting paid in crypto (which is only a dozen or so) would rather be paid in fiat but can't because of regulations.

What regulations prevent people from getting paid in "fiat" currency?

To pick one: - getting paid from abroad qualifies a journalist, or anyone for that matter, as foreign agent in Russia. This comes with obligations of monthly income/expenditure reporting, and unemployability for as long as you are on that register.

The law states that you only qualify as foreign agent if you get paid in fiat specifically? Sounds a little strange.