Iran Shuts Down Over 8,000 Illegal Crypto Mining Farms in 3 Years

Authorities in Iran have closed down more than 8,000 underground facilities for cryptocurrency mining in the past three years, local media reported. Despite the government’s crackdown, illegal crypto mining continues to account for a serious amount of energy consumption, official figures…

Police in Kosovo Seize Crypto Mining Rigs From Serbs

Kosovo police have seized dozens of crypto mining devices from residents of a majority Serb region in the north of the country. Authorities in Pristina and Belgrade exchanged accusations over the move, which has the potential to raise tensions in the…

Russian Crypto Industry Queries Government About Proposed Criminal Liability for Miners

The organization representing Russia’s crypto sector has asked the government in Moscow to clarify a proposal to introduce criminal liability for “gray” miners. The draft legislation seeks to punish those who fail to report their income to the state and share…

Iran Returns Seized Crypto Mining Equipment to Miners

A government body responsible for state property in Iran has released some of the hardware seized from illegal crypto mining farms. Its top executive explained the agency was obliged to do that by courts in the Islamic Republic, where unlicensed miners…

Amid High Energy Demand From Miners, Russia Mulls Building New Power Plants in Siberia

Growing electricity consumption in the crypto mining sector may require the construction of new power generation facilities in Siberia, the energy minister of Russia has acknowledged. Demand continues to increase in residential areas as well, after regional authorities abandoned a proposal…

New York Governor Signs Law Partially Banning Bitcoin Mining on Fossil Fuels

A moratorium on some crypto mining operations relying on carbon-based energy has been signed into law in New York. Businesses engaged in proof-of-work mining in the state will not be able to expand or renew their permits for the next two…

Natural Gas Price Hike Hits Crypto Miners in Iran

Companies using natural gas as a power source to mint digital currency in Iran will have to deal with a sharp increase in the price of the fuel. The new rates set by the state-run supplier are almost double the previous…

Vietnam Crypto Miners Complain About Losses From Ethereum’s Merge

Miners in Vietnam have expressed grievances over the loss of business following Ethereum’s transition to a consensus mechanism that does not require the energy-intensive computing they were providing. Many are in trouble, local media reported, quoting entrepreneurs and mining enthusiasts. Cryptocurrency…

Applied Blockchain Changes Name, Enters Purchase Agreement for Land in North Dakota

This week the mining operation Applied Blockchain announced that it is changing its company name to Applied Digital. Furthermore, the mining operation released 2022 financial results and operational updates that noted that the mining firm entered a purchase agreement on August…

Electricity Consumption of Russian Crypto Miners Spikes 20 Times in 5 Years, Research Finds

Power needs of cryptocurrency miners in Russia have grown significantly since 2017, with consumption of electrical energy seeing a 20-fold increase over the five-year period. In 2021, the minting of the coin with the largest market cap, bitcoin, required 1.25 gigawatts…