Russia has formally expanded its cryptocurrency mining ban to include Moscow, the Moscow Region, and nine territories in the Kursk Region, with restrictions taking effect on August 15, 2026, and running through December 31, 2032. The measure was enacted through Government Resolution No. 936, signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on July 25, 2026, amending a December 2024 decree that established the regional prohibition framework.
The ban covers both direct mining operations and participation in mining pools. It marks a significant escalation from previous restrictions that targeted remote regions such as Buryatia and the North Caucasus, now reaching the country's primary economic hub. Officials framed the decision as a grid-protection measure rather than an industry crackdown, citing electricity capacity concerns driven by the growing concentration of data centers and mining activity around the capital.
According to the Moscow Region's Ministry of Energy, 65 data centers with a combined capacity of 734 megawatts are already connected to the grid in Moscow and the surrounding region. Of these, 19 facilities totaling 233 megawatts sit within the Moscow Region itself. Regional energy officials estimate that crypto mining currently consumes approximately 1 gigawatt of power across the affected areas, a load the ministry warned poses a material risk to grid stability as demand from both mining and data centers continues to grow.