Russia Takes Second Place Rank by Power Capacity in Crypto Mining, Reports

Russia is now ranking second in terms of energy capacities engaged in the extraction of cryptocurrencies, new data suggests. Despite persisting regulatory uncertainty and the negative effects of sanctions, the amount of power devoted to the sector has been growing, reaching record highs this year. 1 GW of Electrical Power Involved in Crypto Mining in … Read more

Several Crypto Mining Operations Busted in Russia

Authorities and power utilities in various Russian regions have shut down illegal crypto mining farms, seizing hardware and taking operators to court. The action against the coin minting facilities comes amid discussions on a proposal to introduce criminal liability for miners breaking the upcoming legislation for the industry. ‘Underground’ Crypto Mining Farms Shut Down Across … Read more

At Least 1,000 Lawsuits Filed Against Crypto Miners in Russia’s Irkutsk Region

Authorities in the Russian region of Irkutsk have so far filed 1,000 lawsuits against what they call “gray” miners, or people minting coins in their homes. In over half of these cases, courts have ordered the defendants to compensate the operators of the distribution networks. Hundreds of Crypto Miners Sued in Irkutsk for Extracting Digital … Read more

Daily Raids on Crypto Farms as Abkhazia Intensifies Mining Crackdown

Authorities in Abkhazia are stepping up efforts to clamp down on cryptocurrency mining amid electricity shortages in the winter months. The government of the breakaway Georgian region announced it’s also taking measures to prevent imports of mining equipment. Abkhazia Creates Headquarters to Combat Illegal Crypto Mining Operations Police in Abkhazia are conducting daily raids to … Read more

Biden Vows to Veto House Republicans’ ‘Fair Tax Act’ Proposing Elimination of IRS

Several U.S. House of Representatives Republicans have proposed legislation that would significantly decrease funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The move comes after the newly elected Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, stated that he would challenge the funding granted to the U.S. tax agency in the previous year. Biden Administration Opposes Bill for Rescinding Funding for … Read more

Bitcoin Hashrate Reaches All-Time High, Boost Could Lead to Record-Setting Difficulty Increase

During the first week of the new year, Bitcoin’s hashrate reached an all-time high (ATH) on Jan. 6, 2023, at block height 770,709. The network recorded a milestone of around 361.20 exahash per second (EH/s) on Friday, jumping more than 4% higher than the previous record of 347.16 EH/s recorded on Nov. 12, 2022. Network’s … Read more

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 to introduce higher tariffs for Russians minting digital coins at their homes. Authorities in … Read more

Russia Expects Sizable Increase in Crypto Miners’ Share of Power Usage

The crypto mining industry may see a two-fold increase in its share of Russia’s power consumption in 2022, according to a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Energy. The department supports a bill designed to regulate the sector which is likely to be adopted this year. Russian Energy Ministry Forecasts Rise in Crypto Mining’s Electricity … Read more

Applied Direct Response — ERCOT Study Shows Bitcoin Mining Is Beneficial to the Texas Grid

On Nov. 29, 2022, The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) published a report on seasonal assessment and resource adequacy for the ERCOT region. ERCOT’s study indicates that bitcoin mining operations are flexible operations that can be beneficial to the Texas grid during the upcoming winter and extreme peak load times. ERCOT Report Says Texas … Read more