kuwait cracks down on crypto mining to safeguard power supply
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Internal Affairs has banned cryptocurrency mining in the country's territory because this energy-intensive process can threaten the stability of the electricity supply. There is an ongoing large-scale operation targeting homes used for cryptocurrency mining.
Cryptocurrency mining—a computing process requiring advanced equipment and significant energy inputs—"constitutes unlawful use of electricity (…) and can cause power outages in residential, commercial, and service areas, and consequently poses a direct threat to public safety," said the ministry in a special communiqué.
Kuwait has banned cryptocurrency mining
The actions of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Internal Affairs primarily covered the southernmost part of the country, where the Ministry of Energy had previously identified approximately 100 homes where cryptocurrency was being mined. In some buildings, electricity consumption was reported to be up to 20 times higher than average. According to data from the ministry, after the first operation by the services, energy consumption in the southern part of Kuwait decreased by 55%.
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In this country located on the Persian Gulf, there is a ban on cryptocurrency trading, but until now there were no restrictions on mining. In recent years, the authorities have been struggling with an energy crisis, caused, among other things, by city expansion due to a population boom, rising temperatures, and neglect in the national energy system.
The Kuwaiti authorities systematically reiterate appeals to the country's residents to avoid wasting energy so there is enough for cooling during the summer.
