Lukashenko eyes national cryptocurrency amid power surplus
The self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, mentioned that he recently received a letter from representatives of the IT sector proposing the creation of a national cryptocurrency. He stated that this is feasible because Belarus has "surplus electricity."
- We are working on creating a cryptocurrency in Belarus. We have surplus electricity - said Lukashenko and added that this task has been entrusted to specialists and the government.
He also insisted that transactions using cryptocurrencies are normal. "It suits us to make payments in cryptocurrency. We are working on a cryptocurrency in Belarus. We have extra electric energy. We are making the best of it," he added.
Compares himself to Trump
- Trump also announced a cryptocurrency, generally he is a supporter of it. It is normal for us [Belarusans - ed.] to conduct transactions in crypto - said Lukashenko.
Just before taking office as President of the USA, Donald Trump released two cryptocurrencies: $Trump and $Melania (named after the First Lady). Compared to something like bitcoin, these are considered so-called memecoins, which are tokens based on memes or the image of famous people, and are largely used for speculative transactions.
Cryptocurrencies were legalised in Belarus in 2017. In September 2024, Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree prohibiting individuals and solo entrepreneurs from engaging in the purchase and sale of tokens on foreign platforms that are not residents of the Belarusian special economic zone.
