What to know:
- Russia will extend its crypto mining ban to Moscow and selected Kursk areas on Aug. 15.
- The mining restrictions will last through Dec. 31, 2032, as set by Resolution No. 936.
- The measure targets electricity risks but gives no estimate of affected mining capacity.
Russia will extend its crypto mining ban to Moscow, the Moscow Region, and selected parts of the Kursk Region on Aug. 15, 2026. The restrictions will remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2032, under Resolution No. 936.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed the measure on July 25, 2026. The government published it on Russia’s official legal information portal on July 31. The decree amends Resolution No. 1869, the existing December 2024 territorial restriction order.
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Why Russia Expanded the Crypto Mining Ban
The decree stops the activity of digital currency mining in Moscow and Moscow Region. Miners are also prohibited from participating in mining pools in these areas. Thus, the crypto mining ban includes not only independent mining but also pooled operations.
In Kursk Region, restrictions will be applied in eight municipal districts. They are Belovsky, Bolshesoldatsky, Glushkovsky, Korenevsky, Lgovsky, Rylsky, Sudzhansky, and Khomutovsky. The city of Lgov will also fall under the new regulation.
However, the measure does not impose a nationwide prohibition. Additional restrictions are introduced in Moscow, Moscow Region, and areas of Kursk to the existing regional list. These locations appear as entries 14 through 16 in the amended order.
Energy officials linked the expansion to pressure on electricity infrastructure. According to the Energy Ministry, the unrestricted year-long mining may cause shortage capacity risks for electricity. The energy authorities of Moscow Region have requested the crypto mining ban before its adoption.
How Power Demand Shapes Russia’s Crypto Mining Ban
Regional estimates put mining demand at one gigawatt in Moscow’s power system. Local data center capacity could reach 3.6 gigawatts by 2032. That would equal 17% of maximum system load, according to figures reported by Interfax.
The 2032 estimate is an official forecast, not a measure of current demand. Kursk officials also raised concerns about pressure on local electricity infrastructure. Their request covered the same eight districts, and Lgov was included in the final decree.
Mining is currently restricted in certain North Caucasus republics and other territories in Russia. These regulations will remain valid until March 15, 2031. The framework of the crypto mining ban applies to the regions where power systems have supply limitations.
A list of mining operators and equipment exists in Russia. It recognizes unregistered mining operations and allows registered operations to conduct their business elsewhere. This list serves as a part of Russia’s overall strategy of regulating cryptocurrency production.
What Miners Must Do Before Aug. 15
These companies must cease local activities or relocate their equipment until Aug. 15. The deadline follows 15 days after the publication of the decree. The crypto mining ban means ceasing the participation in mining pools locally.
These restrictions will be in effect until Dec. 31, 2032, unless the order is amended by the government. No estimates of the mining capacity affected by the regulation or the required number of relocating equipment were provided. The decree does not contain any forecasts of the effect on national production.
Claims that the measure will significantly change Bitcoin’s global hash rate remain unverified. Attention will be directed at implementation of the crypto mining ban that will go into effect on Aug. 15.
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