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Russia’s Energy Ministry has launched a national registry tracking crypto mining equipment to combat tax evasion and power theft by illegal operations.
A report by state-run news agency RIA Novosti indicates that the Russian Ministry of Energy, Federal Tax Service, and Ministry of Digital Development compiled the registry and transmitted it to regions with heightened miner activity.
In June, a Russian Finance Ministry official stated that, despite introducing crypto mining legislation, only 30% of miners had registered with the Federal Tax Service since late 2024. Furthermore, efforts are being made to bring the residual 70% under the legal framework.
Russia Aims to Tax and Regulate Crypto Mining
Deputy Energy Minister Petr Konyushenko stated, translated by Google: “Creating such a register will allow for precise identification of consumers using electricity for mining. This is crucial for applying special regulation and taxation.” (RIA Novosti)
Plans to establish this registry were initially floated by the Energy Ministry in February, aiming to enforce bans in restricted regions.
Regional Bans on Crypto Mining in Russia
Government regulations related to crypto mining came into effect in November 4, setting legal definitions and registration requirements. Concurrently, a ban on crypto mining, including pools and individual operations, was imposed in ten Russian regions effective until March 15, 2031, to avert power shortages.
Simultaneously, Forbes Russia revealed that the Ministry of Digital Development is drafting new legislation to increase fines for illegal crypto mining—from 200,000 rubles ($2,534) to 2 million rubles ($25,500).
Illegal Crypto Miners Targeted
Local authorities reported crackdowns on illicit operations this year. On June 19, police discovered a mining farm in Bataysk. On June 14, authorities dismantled a mining rig concealed within a truck extracting electricity from a village in the Pribaikalsky region.
