From 2025 to 2031, a total ban will be imposed in several areas, while key regions like Irkutsk will face seasonal restrictions.
The Russian government has approved a plan to regulate Bitcoin mining, introducing a total ban in 10 regions of the country starting January 1, 2025. The measure will remain in effect until March 15, 2031.
According to the TASS news agency, the ban will fully apply to regions such as Dagestan, Ingushetia, Chechnya, and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk Republics, as well as the other partially occupied regions in Ukraine of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. The regulation will affect both mining pool operations and individual (solo-mining) activities.
The three Siberian regions—Irkutsk, Buryatia, and Zabaikalsky—will only face seasonal restrictions during peaks in winter energy consumption. In 2025, these restrictions will apply from January 1 to March 15, then extend from November 15 to March 15 in subsequent years.
The decision represents a more balanced approach compared to the initial November proposal, which called for a total ban in 13 regions, including Irkutsk, a critical hub for Russian mining. The choice to allow operations in this area, albeit with restrictions, appears to be a compromise to protect the interests of industry players like BitRiver, which has operated its largest data center in the region since 2019.
