Russia’s Bill Targets 50,000 Unregistered Crypto Miners With Fines and Prison
Russia has submitted legislation aimed at roughly 50,000 unregistered cryptocurrency miners, proposing fines and prison terms for operators who do not register. The draft, lodged with parliament on April 1, 2026, would criminalize unauthorised mining activity and raise penalties for non-compliance, potentially covering a large share of the country's active mining participants and infrastructure.
If enacted, the measure could force widespread registration, push smaller operators underground, or accelerate relocation to friendlier jurisdictions, with knock-on effects for local power demand and global hash-rate distribution. The proposal raises enforcement and compliance questions for exchanges, mining farms and equipment suppliers, and investors will be watching parliamentary debates closely — a crackdown could reshape Russia's mining footprint and influence broader market sentiment on crypto regulation.