Russia bans Moscow crypto mining from Aug. 15

Russia will extend its regional crypto mining ban to Moscow, the Moscow Region and parts of Kursk Region from Aug. 15, 2026.

The prohibition will remain in force through Dec. 31, 2032, under Government Resolution No. 936.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed the measure on July 25. The government published it on the official legal information portal on July 31. It amends Resolution No. 1869, the December 2024 order that established territorial mining restrictions.

Russia crypto mining ban covers mining pools

The decree prohibits digital currency mining and participation in mining pools across Moscow and the entire Moscow Region. In Kursk, it applies to the Belovsky, Bolshesoldatsky, Glushkovsky, Korenevsky, Lgovsky, Rylsky, Sudzhansky and Khomutovsky municipal districts, plus the city of Lgov.

The measure expands a regional list rather than creating a nationwide mining ban. Resolution No. 936 adds Moscow, Moscow Region and the designated Kursk territories as entries 14 through 16 in the existing restriction order.

Power capacity concerns drove the expansion

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 consumes about one gigawatt within the Moscow power system. Meanwhile, 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.

Kursk officials sought restrictions in eight districts and Lgov amid concerns about pressure on local electricity infrastructure. The final decree adopted the same locations included in the earlier government proposal.

Russia has widened regional restrictions since 2025

The new order extends a policy 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. The Russian Energy Ministry said those restrictions cover 20 areas of Buryatia and 31 areas of Zabaykalsky Krai.

As previously reported, a Russian power-industry commission supported the Moscow and Kursk proposal in May. That recommendation moved the plan toward Cabinet approval while lawmakers considered separate penalties for unregistered mining.

Russia had introduced a mining registry intended to identify unregistered operators and equipment. The system supports a broader policy that permits registered mining while targeting unauthorized facilities.

Miners face an Aug. 15 shutdown deadline

Mining businesses operating in the newly restricted areas must stop local activity by Aug. 15 or move their equipment. The deadline falls 15 days after the decree’s July 31 publication. The restriction covers pool participation as well as direct cryptocurrency mining.

The prohibition is scheduled to expire after Dec. 31, 2032, unless the government amends the order. The decree does not provide an official estimate of the mining capacity affected or the amount of equipment that must relocate.

Therefore, claims that the Moscow ban will materially alter Bitcoin’s global hash rate remain unverified. The next confirmed development will be the restriction’s implementation on Aug. 15 and any later enforcement guidance issued by Russian energy or regional authorities.