Russia Tightens Grip on Crypto Mining With New Registry Rules

The Russian Ministry of Finance now requires crypto miners to disclose hardware serial numbers and IP addresses to the Federal Tax Service.

This measure is part of Moscow’s broader strategy to centralize the monitoring of crypto transactions, energy consumption, and international settlements. The move comes as Russia increasingly turns to digital assets for foreign trade to circumvent Western sanctions.

Moscow Expands the Crypto Registry

The Russian Ministry of Finance has expanded the scope of information that miners and mining pool infrastructure operators must submit to the Federal Tax Service.

In addition to IP addresses, companies are now required to declare the manufacturer, model, serial number, computing power, and specific algorithms of their ASIC equipment.

Registered operators must also disclose which cryptocurrencies they are mining, the specific mining pools they participate in, and provide links to online statistics regarding their operations.

Russia Links Crypto Miners to State Systems

The new regulatory regime provides the Central Bank of Russia, courts, energy operators, and federal agencies with direct access to the registry.

Authorities aim to create a system where specific crypto wallets and blockchain rewards can be directly linked to physical locations and specific hardware units.

This initiative coincides with Russia’s active integration of cryptocurrencies into its international trade as an alternative payment mechanism outside the Western financial system.

Energy Pressure Remains a Critical Issue

The regulation also addresses mounting problems within the national power grid, particularly in Siberia.

In recent years, Russian authorities have imposed temporary bans on crypto mining in regions like Irkutsk due to fears of winter power outages caused by the massive consumption of mining centers.

Energy companies often struggled to distinguish between standard household electricity use and illegal industrial mining operations.

With access to IP registries and hardware data, operators will now be able to detect unusual energy loads and trace them directly to specific facilities.

Russia Prepares Full Crypto Framework by July

This expanded oversight is part of a broader legal framework that Russia plans to have fully implemented by July 1, 2026.

The new model will legalize crypto mining and the use of digital assets for approved international trade. However, it will simultaneously restrict access for retail investors and maintain the existing ban on domestic crypto payments.

Analysts note that Moscow is gradually building a highly centralized crypto model. Under this system, the state does not merely permit the sector but gains direct visibility into the industry’s infrastructure, transactions, and energy footprint.