Russia’s crypto mining industry has grown into a major consumer of cheap domestic energy, but the state now wants far tighter control over who mines, where, and on what terms. After legalizing mining in late 2024, the government has quickly moved to criminal penalties because most miners still avoid registration and formal taxation. The Ministry of Justice published draft amendments to the Criminal Code that would treat many forms of unregistered mining as a criminal offence rather than just an administrative violation. Under the proposal, individuals who mine cryptocurrency without proper registration could face ... (full story)