Russia Unveils National Crypto Mining Registry to Track Equipment and Curb Power Abuse

Highlights:

• Russia has launched a national registry to track crypto-mining equipment and reduce illegal electricity use.
• Only 30% of miners have registered as the government works to bring the rest into legal compliance.
• Authorities shut down illegal mining farms hidden in garages and trucks to stop tax evasion and power theft.

Russia has launched a national registry to track cryptocurrency mining equipment. The move by the Ministry of Energy follows growing concerns over tax evasion and power misuse. The ministry created the list in partnership with the Federal Tax Service and the Ministry of Digital Development. Officials have already sent the registry to areas where crypto mining activity remains high. According to Deputy Energy Minister Petr Konyushenko, this tool will help identify miners and ensure they follow the set requirements.

The Energy Ministry first announced plans for the registry in February. The government at the time had begun to implement new mining measures throughout the country. These activities were followed after law enforcement realized that more power was consumed in areas with a high number of mining facilities. The government is now set to do more to get the miners fully on board with the registry.

Konyushenko said the registry makes it easier to monitor who uses electricity for mining purposes. He added that proper tracking will help the government apply clear tax systems. The strategy will also ensure people do not conceal their activities in places that have a poor supply of electric power.

Authorities Target Illegal Operations and Power Theft in Crypto Mining Hotspots

Russian officials have stepped up measures to regulate illegal mining. Even though there is a legal framework in place since 2023, the majority of miners do not undergo registration. According to Ivan Chebeskov of the Finance Ministry, only 30% of miners had registered with the Federal Tax Service by mid-2025. He affirmed that the government will continue to integrate the remaining miners into the formal system. However, the ministry has not released details about the next steps.

The government banned mining in ten regions where electricity cannot support large mining operations. This ban will remain in effect until March 15. The goal is to prevent strain on power lines and reduce the risk of outages. Authorities also proposed raising fines for illegal mining. If approved, the penalty could increase from 200,000 to 2 million rubles.

Officials have already shut down several illegal sites. On June 14, they discovered a mining farm hidden inside a truck in the Pribaikalsky region. On June 19, police found another setup inside a garage in Bataysk. In both cases, miners tapped into local power lines without permission. Authorities said these operations tried to avoid detection by hiding in residential areas.

In a larger case, law enforcement closed a massive crypto mining site in Krasnoyarsk Krai. The site spanned 30,000 square meters and operated under fake documents. It reportedly earned nearly 4.6 million rubles every month. Investigators also found that some utility workers had accepted bribes to allow these illegal setups. In other cases, hackers used smart home devices to build secret mining networks.

Registry Seen as First Step in Broader Crypto Oversight

Russia’s crypto mining law allows individuals to mine without registration if they stay within power limits. However, businesses and individual entrepreneurs must register with the Federal Tax Service. To support formal adoption, the government removed the value-added tax on crypto purchases. It also introduced a 15% tax on mining profits, based on the market value of the mined coins.