Tajikistan is claiming damages from illegal Bitcoin mining operations. According to the country’s Attorney General Khabibullo Vokhidzoda, the country lost more than $3.52 million to the threat in the first half of 2025.
Speaking at the press conference, AG said the damages are related to the illegal use of electricity by miners, and the state is compensated for losses to energy providers.
“There are people from overseas who import equipment for mining companies and illegally mine cryptocurrency,” says Vokhidzoda. He added that around four to five criminal cases are open to individuals, including the use of mining equipment.
Tajikistan records $3.52 million in damages from illegal crypto mining
Tajikistan has yet to give a defined stance when it comes to digital assets, but there have been several people mining digital assets. The report alleges that authorities report annual closures of private homes and business mining farms, punishing those involved.
Furthermore, the report highlighted that most of them use unpaid and illegal electricity to mine assets. Since January, more than 190 criminal cases have been opened in connection with illegal, unpaid use of electricity.
Some of these cases have nothing to do with cryptocurrency mining, but most of them are miners. The report also alleges that more than 3,988 individuals have been arrested for illegal use of electricity, bringing the total bill to $4.26 million. Mining cryptocurrencies are extremely boring. It’s extremely boring considering you need to access a powerful supercomputer and a high-speed internet connection. This process consumes a lot of electricity, but the average private miner usually can’t afford it.
Vokhidzoda’s comments point out that after a similar update at the prosecutor’s office in Tajikistan’s Sughd area, it has opened seven cases against certain individuals, seizing 135 mining equipment discovered within home construction in the country. Prosecutors added that officials caused more than $30,000 in damages.
Kazakhstan moves to limit the impact of mining on electrical grids
Tajikistan is not the only country in Central Asia fighting the rise in illegal electricity use to mine digital assets, and Kazakh authorities recently began cracking down on schemes that use illegal methods to mine digital assets. The crackdown was carried out in collaboration with the national financial watchdog and the National Security Commission.
During the operation, they discovered that employees of local energy companies have provided mining companies with 50 megawatt hours (MWH) worth of electricity for domestic and commercial use over the past two years. This amounted to urban energy consumption of between 50,000 and 70,000 residents.
Authorities also said the stolen electricity was worth around $16.5 million, revealing that the operation organizers used the proceeds to buy two apartments and four vehicles. Like Tajikistan, crypto mining is not illegal in Kazakhstan, but authorities are trying to reduce the impact on the national grid.
According to recent laws, mining farms are only allowed to purchase energy under 1 MWh, and only patronize the Department of Energy. Such regulations aim to limit sectors that have been boosted after China banned crypto mining in 2021, and their cheap costs and inconsistent enforcement make them a hub for miners. We previously saw mining activities in Kazakhstan after China kicked out miners in 2021,” says Alex De Vries, founder of Digiconomist.