Russia’s crypto mining ban in the Moscow region went into effect on August 15, prohibiting cryptocurrency mining and mining pool participation across Moscow, the entire Moscow Region and nine designated territories in Kursk through December 31, 2032.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed Government Resolution No. 936 on July 25, and it was published on the official legal information portal on July 31. The measure amends Resolution No. 1869, the December 2024 order that first established territorial mining restrictions across Russia. Mining operators in the newly restricted areas faced a 15-day shutdown deadline from the publication date.
Power Grid Strain Drives Restrictions
The Energy Ministry’s explanatory material warned that operating without a year-round restriction could create “risks of a shortage of power capacity” as energy-intensive mining facilities connect to regional grids. Moscow Region energy authorities had requested the ban before the government adopted it.
Regional officials estimated that mining already consumes about one gigawatt within the Moscow power system. Data-center capacity in Moscow and the surrounding region could reach 3.6 gigawatts by 2032, equal to 17% of the system’s maximum load, according to figures reported by Interfax. The 2032 figure remains an official projection rather than measured current demand.
In Kursk, the restrictions apply to the Belovsky, Bolshesoldatsky, Glushkovsky, Korenevsky, Lgovsky, Rylsky, Sudzhansky and Khomutovsky municipal districts, plus the city of Lgov. Kursk officials sought the restrictions amid concerns about pressure on local electricity infrastructure.
Widening Pattern of Regional Bans
The new order extends a policy trajectory that followed Russia’s legalization of cryptocurrency mining in 2024. Authorities subsequently introduced regional restrictions to manage electricity shortages and seasonal demand. Existing rules cover several North Caucasus republics and other territories through March 15, 2031. The government also imposed year-round restrictions across parts of Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai from April 1, 2026.
Russia introduced a national mining registry intended to identify unregistered operators and equipment, supporting a broader policy that permits registered mining while targeting unauthorized facilities. The Ministry of Energy estimates annual electricity consumption by miners at 16 billion kWh, roughly 1.5% of the country’s total energy consumption.
The decree does not provide an official estimate of the mining capacity affected or the amount of equipment that must relocate. Claims that the Moscow ban will materially alter Bitcoin’s global hash rate remain unverified. Russia is widely considered the world’s second-largest Bitcoin mining power after the United States.
The restriction is scheduled to expire after December 31, 2032, unless the government amends the order. The next confirmed development will be enforcement guidance issued by Russian energy or regional authorities as operators face the shutdown deadline.
Sources: crypto.news; TAdviser; Interfax
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