Russia has officially extended its cryptocurrency mining restrictions to Moscow, the Moscow Region, and parts of the Kursk Region, a move that targets one of the world’s largest Bitcoin mining hubs. The decree, published on the government’s legal information portal and reported by Anadolu Agency, will take effect on August 15 and remain in force through the end of 2032. According to Russia’s Ministry of Energy, the high electricity demand from mining facilities strains the power grid, creating risks for other consumers. The explanatory note states the ban is necessary to maintain supply in the face of growing data center consumption.
Data from Hashrate Index’s Q3 2026 heatmap shows Russia accounts for approximately 17.2% of the global Bitcoin hash rate—second only to the United States at 36.7%. Russian sources like Kommersant and the Association of Industrial Mining place the country’s share between 13% and 17%. The ban impacts 65 data centers with a combined capacity of 734 MW in the Moscow area, of which 19 facilities (233 MW) are in the Moscow Region. The global Bitcoin hash rate has already declined for two consecutive quarters, now nearly 12% below its December 2025 peak.
Even before this expansion, rising grid connection costs—exceeding five rubles per kilowatt-hour—were squeezing Russian miners. The ban is expected to accelerate the relocation of mining operations to the U.S., Kazakhstan, and Central Asia, a pattern seen earlier when restrictions in other regions affected an estimated 50,000 operators. Major Russian mining firm BitRiver, dependent on Siberian electricity, is among the most exposed. For the Bitcoin network, the immediate effect may be a temporary drop in difficulty, boosting profitability for efficient miners elsewhere while forcing older equipment offline.
This is the latest in a yearlong regulatory tightening. A full-year mining ban was already imposed on ten regions in January 2026, including Dagestan, Chechnya, and occupied Ukrainian territories. The restrictions come despite Russia legalizing crypto mining in August 2024, highlighting a shift from financial policy to energy security concerns in the country’s approach to digital assets.
