Isabella García
Russia is escalating its efforts to curb illegal cryptocurrency mining by launching a nationwide registry of mining equipment, a move designed to identify and regulate unregistered mining operations across the country.
Local media outlets report that the registry has already been compiled and distributed to regions known for high mining activity. The project is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Energy, the Federal Tax Service (FNS), and the Ministry of Digital Development, and is part of a larger campaign to formalize crypto mining and control excessive energy use.
According to Deputy Energy Minister Petr Konyushenko, the registry will allow officials to accurately pinpoint electricity consumption tied to mining, helping ensure that miners are taxed properly and operate within legal boundaries. He confirmed that the list was already in the hands of local authorities in areas with dense mining populations.
The initiative was first proposed in February 2025, and has since gained support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. It comes in response to growing concerns over power shortages and the widespread use of residential electricity for large-scale, unregistered mining.
In fact, mining has been banned in 10 Russian regions since November 2024, with restrictions in place until at least March 2031, to protect the energy grid during peak usage periods.
Legal miners must register; tax framework in place
Russia’s legal framework for cryptocurrency mining, adopted in 2023, allows citizens, registered entrepreneurs, and businesses to legally mine digital assets. Individuals can mine without registration, provided they stay within government-mandated energy thresholds. In contrast, businesses and sole proprietors are required to register with the FNS.
To promote legal adoption, crypto purchases are exempt from VAT, and a 15% tax on mining profits—based on the market value of mined assets—has been introduced.
Despite this legal infrastructure, many miners remain outside the system, often routing power through residential lines to evade higher commercial energy rates. As of June 2025, only 30% of miners had officially registered, according to Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov.
He noted that authorities are working to bring the remaining 70% into compliance, though no specific enforcement measures have been disclosed.
Authorities ramp up inspections and crackdowns
Over the past year, Russia has intensified enforcement through site inspections and legal shutdowns. One of the most notable cases involved a massive open-air mining site in Krasnoyarsk Krai, which was shut down after it was found operating on state-owned land using fake documents. The site spanned 30,000 square meters and reportedly generated over 4.6 million rubles ($58,000) per month.
Additionally, officials have discovered cases of utility workers accepting bribes to ignore illegal connections, and cybercriminals hijacking smart home devices to build hidden mining operations.
