Tajikistan Cracks Down on Illegal Crypto Mining
The Tajik parliament has approved revisions to the Criminal Code, introducing Article 253(2), which targets crypto miners using stolen electricity. Under the new law, offenders face fines ranging from $1,650 to $8,250 or prison terms of two to five years. For mining on an “especially large scale,” sentences rise to five to eight years, according to local media.
The amendments, reviewed and adopted on December 3, were presented by Attorney General Khabibullo Vokhidzoda. He warned that electricity theft by crypto miners in several cities has already contributed to regional power outages.
“The illegal circulation of virtual assets facilitates crimes such as electricity theft, damage to the state, money laundering, and other offenses,” Vokhidzoda said. He noted that illegal mining has caused damages of 32 million somoni (around $3.52 million), resulting in four to five criminal cases, according to The Diplomat.
Winter Power Shortages Highlight Risks
Tajikistan, which relies on hydropower for nearly 95% of its electricity, is facing winter energy pressures due to low reservoir and river levels. The problem has been exacerbated by an influx of crypto miners from China and Russia, following China’s 2021 crypto ban, attracted by Tajikistan’s low energy costs and relatively relaxed regulations.
By August 2025, authorities had launched 190 criminal cases related to illegal electricity use, involving 3,988 individuals and damages totaling $4.26 million, according to The Diplomat.
MP Shukhrat Ganizoda highlighted that miners often connect thousands of ASIC devices to the national grid. “Those committing these crimes aim to use electricity without meters or through other illegal methods to produce crypto assets,” he said.
Preventing Tax and Regulation Violations
Ganizoda added that the new law also aims to curb tax evasion and unauthorized digital encryption, as well as to prevent attempts to bypass commodity tracking systems. The legislation will come into effect once signed by President Emomali Rahmon.
