Legal Regulation of Crypto Mining in Uzbekistan
Mining of crypto-assets has in recent years acquired strategic importance for the development of the digital economy. In Uzbekistan, the regulation of this activity is aimed at ensuring transparency, sustainable energy consumption, and control over cryptocurrency circulation. In 2023, a regulatory act was adopted — the Regulation on the Procedure for Issuing Permits for Mining Activities, registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan (registration No. 3461 of 29.09.2023).
According to the document, mining is defined as an activity aimed at maintaining a distributed data ledger, creating blocks, and confirming their integrity through computational operations. The right to carry out mining is granted only to legal entities duly registered under the law.
Special attention is given to the following aspects:
- Only a legal entity can be a miner;
- The mining permit is issued for a period of 5 years;
- The activity must be carried out at the address indicated during registration;
- Mining is allowed exclusively when using electricity from solar photovoltaic stations (with certain exceptions provided by law).
Licensing Requirements and Conditions
To obtain a permit, the miner is required to:
- Have a separate facility for the equipment;
- Ensure the technical reliability of the electrical system and the presence of a certified metering device;
- Comply with sanitary and fire safety standards;
- Not engage in hidden mining or the mining of anonymous crypto-assets;
- Sell mined crypto-assets only on licensed exchanges;
- Timely pay the established fees.
Permit Application Procedure
The process is fully digitalized through the “Registration” information system. The applicant submits an application along with:
- Information about the company and its electricity sources,
- Specifications of the solar station,
- Data about mining equipment,
- A list of crypto-assets and wallet addresses.
The application review period is 20 days. A decision is made by the expert commission and the authorized body. The permit is issued electronically with a QR code.
Grounds for Refusal and Revocation
A refusal may be issued if the documents are incomplete, requirements are not met, false information is provided, or if the founders are associated with criminal activity.
The permit may be suspended, terminated, or revoked in cases of serious violations, such as:
- Hidden mining;
- Using electricity not from a solar station;
- Operating at a different address;
- Systematic non-compliance with requirements.
Control and Liability
Control over miners is exercised by the National Agency for Prospective Projects. It has the authority to:
- Conduct inspections;
- Require the provision of information;
- Issue decisions on elimination of violations;
- Apply to the court regarding suspension or revocation of permits.
Violations entail legal liability in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The introduction of a special legal regime for mining reflects Uzbekistan’s aspiration to create transparent and sustainable conditions for the development of the digital economy. The main emphasis is placed on:
- Environmental responsibility (use of “green” energy),
- Digitalization of procedures (electronic permits),
- Combating shadow mining,
- Ensuring state control.
Thus, the legal regulation of mining in Uzbekistan represents an innovative step towards integrating blockchain technologies into the economy while maintaining security and legality.
Licensing Requirements, Duties of Miners, and Sanctions for Violations in Uzbekistan
|
Category |
Content |
|
Licensing Requirements |
|
|
Duties of Miners |
|
|
Sanctions and Consequences |
|
Tashkent city, Uzbekistan
