Russian lawmakers are preparing to legalize industrial crypto mining in the country while imposing restrictions on private miners. Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, confirmed that a new mining law will be discussed during the current session. The proposed law will likely be combined with crypto regulations that would prohibit crypto exchanges from operating in Russia, with exceptions for companies involved in international trade deals. Industrial miners may have access to Moscow-controlled exchanges, but only for selling their tokens. The new bill suggests that only Russian firms and business operators with permission will be allowed to continue mining. Individuals who stay within government-set energy consumption limits will be able to mine coins without permits. However, the energy consumption caps have not been specified. Industrial miners will be required to report their activities to Rosfinmonitoring, the anti-money laundering agency. There are also indications that industrial miners may be allowed to sell coins without using Russian information infrastructure, possibly referring to overseas crypto exchanges. The bill also grants power to energy providers and local government bodies, allowing the government to ban mining in certain regions. However, the terms and scope of these bans are still subject to debate. Experts have expressed mixed opinions about the bill, with some noting that previous attempts to regulate mining have been unsuccessful. The new bill is seen as a result of lobbying from the industrial mining sector.
