Russia has widened its cryptocurrency mining ban to cover Moscow, the surrounding Moscow region, and eight municipal districts in the Kursk region, extending a policy that began in more remote areas of the country in late 2024.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed Resolution No. 936 on July 25, amending the government's original mining restriction order. The new prohibition takes effect August 15 and runs through December 31, 2032, placing Russia's financial and political capital under the same restrictions previously reserved for energy-strained regions such as Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai, where a ban has applied since April 1 and is set to expire in March 2031.
Power Demand Cited as the Driver
The Moscow Region's Energy Ministry framed the expansion as a response to “growing electricity demand” rather than a shift in Russia's broader stance on digital assets. Officials pointed to the rapid buildout of data center infrastructure in the region: Moscow and the Moscow region now host 65 data centers connected to the power grid with a combined capacity of 734 megawatts, including 19 facilities in the Moscow region alone accounting for 233 megawatts.
That buildout has intensified competition for grid capacity, and miners — who draw continuous, high-density loads — have increasingly been singled out as the segment easiest to restrict without disrupting other industries or consumer supply.
Part of a Broader Pattern
Russia's mining restrictions date to December 2024, when the government first authorized regional bans in areas with strained energy grids. Since then, the list of restricted regions has grown steadily, with the latest additions marking the first time Russia's most populous and economically significant area has been included.
The extension through 2032 signals that Moscow authorities view the power constraints as a long-term planning issue rather than a temporary shortage, giving miners operating in the region roughly two weeks to relocate or wind down operations before the ban takes hold.
