Russia Bans Crypto Mining in Moscow and Parts of Kursk Until 2032

Highlights:

• Russia bans crypto mining in Moscow, Moscow Region, and parts of Kursk until December 31, 2032.
• Officials say rising electricity demand and capacity risks drove the long-term regional mining restrictions decision.
• The decree also blocks mining pool participation while Russia tightens oversight of large crypto transactions and banks.

Russia has approved a long-term cryptocurrency mining ban covering Moscow, the Moscow Region and selected areas of the Kursk Region. The restriction will begin on August 15 and remain in force through December 31, 2032, according to a Russian government decree published on the Official Internet Portal of Legal Information on July 31.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed the decree, which also prohibits miners from participating in mining pools in the affected locations. Mining pools allow multiple operators to combine their computing power and share the cryptocurrency rewards generated through their joint activity.

The new decree amends Government Resolution No. 1869, adopted on December 23, 2024. That resolution introduced cryptocurrency mining restrictions in regions where rising electricity demand was placing pressure on local power systems.

🇷🇺JUST IN: Russia bans crypto mining in its own capital until 2032.

Moscow, the Moscow Region and parts of the war-torn Kursk Region are now off-limits to miners as 65 data centers pulling 734 MW strain the grid.

Russia had previously legalized mining in 2024 but has been… pic.twitter.com/PknFema7Ak

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) August 1, 2026

Rising Power Demand Pushes Russia to Limit Crypto Mining

The Russian Energy Ministry previously warned that allowing large mining facilities to connect to regional power networks could create electricity capacity problems. Its explanatory note said the absence of a year-round restriction creates “risks of an energy capacity shortage” because mining facilities use significant amounts of power.

Crypto mining uses specialized computers to verify blockchain transactions and generate new digital coins. Large mining centers may run thousands of machines continuously, making electricity availability an important concern for regional authorities.

Sergey Voropanov, head of the Moscow Region’s Energy Ministry, earlier estimated that crypto mining consumes around 1 gigawatt of electricity within the Moscow energy system. He also said data-center capacity across Moscow and the surrounding region could reach 3.6 gigawatts by 2032, equal to about 17% of the system’s maximum load.

Mining Ban Covers Eight Kursk Districts and Lgov City

The restriction applies across Moscow and the Moscow Region. In Kursk, it covers the Belovsky, Bolshesoldatsky, Glushkovsky, Korenevsky, Lgovsky, Rylsky, Sudzhansky and Khomutovsky municipal districts, as well as the city of Lgov.

Russia already limits cryptocurrency mining in several energy-constrained regions. Similar restrictions have applied since last year in parts of the North Caucasus, Buryatia, the Trans-Baikal Territory and the Irkutsk Region. The latest decree expands Russia’s regional approach rather than introducing a nationwide crypto mining ban.

Anadolu Agency reported on August 1 that cryptocurrency mining and digital asset use had grown in Russia as Western sanctions restricted parts of the country’s access to international finance. Russia also introduced a program two years ago that allows approved exporters and importers to use cryptocurrencies for some cross-border payments.

Russia Also Tightens Oversight of Crypto Payments

The mining restriction comes as Russia develops wider controls for digital asset activity. A July 10 Crypto2Community report said authorities were preparing automatic reporting requirements for large cryptocurrency payments linked to foreign trade. Under the proposed framework, Rosfinmonitoring, Russia’s financial intelligence agency, would receive information about cross-border transactions worth more than 10 million rubles. The reporting system was expected to start on September 1 and cover deals between Russian residents and foreign companies.

Separate proposals would reduce the reporting threshold for regular crypto transfers from 100,000 rubles to 60,000 rubles. Transfers above that amount would require additional sender and recipient details. The measures would also cap banks’ digital asset exposure at 1% of a banking group’s capital. However, those payment and banking measures were still proposals at the time of the July report.

JUST IN: Russia moves to stricter crypto oversight, mandating detailed reporting for cross-border and larger transfers and capping banks' digital asset exposure at 1% of capital. $RUB, $BTC, $ETH pic.twitter.com/ov9vtoAowD

— Bpay News (@bpaynews) July 10, 2026

Russia has allowed selected uses of cryptocurrency, including an experimental framework for some cross-border trade payments. On the other hand, the authorities have tightened regulations on mining, financial statements and banking exposure as they continue to regulate their digital assets market.