Tajikistan criminalises electricity theft for crypto mining — fines and up to 8 years’ jail
Tajikistan’s parliament has amended the Criminal Code to criminalise illegal electricity use for cryptocurrency mining amid worsening winter power shortages. The law creates the offence of "illegal use of electricity for the production of virtual assets," imposing fines of 15,000–37,000 somoni for individuals and up to 75,000 somoni plus 2–5 years’ imprisonment for organised group members. Theft on a "particularly large scale" tied to mining carries 5–8 years in prison. Prosecutor General Habibullo Vohidzoda said illegal mining farms — some using imported equipment and tapping the grid unlawfully — have caused outages, rationing and estimated state losses of about 32 million somoni. Lawmakers also cited money-laundering and tax-evasion risks, and said the amendments close tax loopholes for mining operators. The measures will take effect once signed by President Emomali Rahmon and published in the official gazette. For crypto traders, the law signals stricter enforcement risks for local and cross-border mining operations, potential disruptions to supply of locally mined coins, and heightened regulatory scrutiny that could affect miner cost structures and market sentiment.
Neutral
Direct price impact on the mentioned cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) is likely neutral. The law targets electricity theft used for crypto mining within Tajikistan rather than banning mining outright or targeting Bitcoin protocol or exchanges. Short-term effects could include localized disruption to mining output if authorities dismantle illegal farms, slightly reducing regional hashpower and potentially creating minor, temporary upward pressure on BTC price. However, Tajikistan is a small share of global Bitcoin mining; penalties aimed at theft and organised operations primarily change legal and operational risk for miners rather than coin demand. In the medium to long term, clearer enforcement and closing of tax loopholes may raise operational costs for miners and push some activity toward legal, taxed operations or relocation — a modest bearish factor for miner profitability but not for Bitcoin’s fundamental demand. Market reaction will depend on investor sensitivity to regulatory news and whether similar measures spread to larger mining jurisdictions. Overall, expect limited market-moving effects but increased compliance and operational risk considerations for mining-related counterparties.