Russian decree bans crypto mining across Moscow region through 2032

The Russian government has issued a decree banning crypto mining and participation in mining pools in Moscow, the surrounding Moscow region, and parts of the Kursk region from Aug. 15 until the end of 2032. 

The more than six-year ban will expand restrictions aimed at curbing the crypto mining industry’s pressure on local electricity networks. The decree, Government Decree No. 936, was dated July 25 and published on Russia’s official legal information portal on Friday.

The decree covers the capital city of Moscow and the entirety of the surrounding Moscow Oblast. It also applies to eight municipal districts in Kursk Oblast and the city of Lgov. 

The measure finalizes a proposal published by the country’s Energy Ministry in late June, which included an explanatory note that said the affected territories could face electricity shortages if the mining activities were not prohibited year-round. 

Mining consumes estimated 1 GW on Moscow grid

The energy minister for Moscow Oblast, Sergei Voropanov, previously estimated that crypto mining can account for roughly 1 gigawatt (GW) of power consumption across the city’s grid, according to Interfax. 

Voropanov also said at the time that the combined capacity of data centers in Moscow and Moscow Oblast could climb to 3.6 GW by 2032, or about 17% of the grid’s projected maximum load capacity, though that includes all data center usage and not just crypto mining. 

The new decree expands a regional approach Russia began pursuing in late 2024, when officials moved to ban mining in multiple energy-constrained regions, including parts of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. Some of those restrictions remain in force through 2031, while others only apply seasonally during periods of higher electricity demand.

Russia has otherwise taken steps to formally regulate the crypto mining industry nationwide rather than ban it outright. President Vladimir Putin signed legislation in 2024 allowing companies and entrepreneurs listed in a special registry to mine crypto, while unregistered individuals may only mine crypto within established electricity consumption limits. 

In July 2025, Russian authorities rolled out a national registry for crypto mining equipment, intended to identify operators, measure their electricity consumption, and improve tax enforcement, The Block previously reported. 

The Moscow regional ban comes as Russia continues developing a broader regulatory framework for crypto. The State Duma passed landmark legislation last month that, if enacted, would allow regulated retail crypto trading while retaining the country’s ban on using crypto for domestic payments. 

The decree also comes days after a Russian court transferred BitRiver founder Igor Runets from house arrest to pre-trial detention as he faces charges of fraud on an especially large scale committed by an organized group. Investigators allege that Runets and the mining firm were involved in an equipment deal with energy conglomerate En+ that caused 1 billion rubles, or about $12.5 million, in damages.