- Kazakhstan has introduced a new model for regulating mining.
- From August 1, the country’s focus will be on strategic cryptocurrency mining.
- The authorities have provided a relevant list of requirements for obtaining strategic miner status.
The Government of Kazakhstan has approved rules for conducting strategic digital mining, which will take effect on August 1, 2026. The document sets out requirements for companies seeking strategic miner status, the procedure for obtaining a permit, and the process for transferring part of the mined digital assets to the National Strategic Crypto Reserve.
The Government of Kazakhstan adopted the relevant resolution on July 18.
Who Can Obtain Strategic Miner Status
Under the new rules, companies must submit an application via the e-licensing system or the authorized body’s office and confirm compliance with a range of technical and financial criteria.
Key requirements include:
- Having an in-house data center for digital mining with a capacity of at least 150 MW
- Technical specifications for connecting to power grids from substations with a voltage of 35 kV and above, with an approved capacity of at least 1 MW
- Using equipment with a hashrate of at least 150 TH/s per unit
- No outstanding debts to the state budget, including taxes and social payments
- No encumbrances on the company’s property in the form of pledges, seizures, or other restrictions
- At least two contracts with telecom operators for providing internet access
- Having a service center for repairing mining equipment, and qualified staff
After the application is submitted, the authorized body will, within three business days, verify the completeness of the documents and the accuracy of the information, after which it will forward the materials for review by a special commission.
The commission will assess whether the company meets the established requirements and whether there is available electricity volume within the approved quota.
Based on the review results, the applicant will receive a decision confirming compliance with the requirements, a refusal, or a notice that no energy quota is available.
In the event of a positive decision, the miner must, within five business days:
- Enter into an agreement with the autonomous cluster fund Astana Hub
- Sign a power purchase agreement with one of the power generation companies from the approved list
Separately, the document obliges strategic miners to open a separate crypto wallet to which the mining pool will credit digital assets mined as part of strategic mining.
At the same time, companies are allowed to carry out regular digital mining operations in parallel.
Together with the rules, the government approved the procedure for determining the volume of digital assets that will be subject to transfer to the National Strategic Crypto Reserve.
The document itself does not detail the mechanism for calculating the share of assets, but its approval means that Kazakhstan is moving to the practical implementation of a state digital asset reserve model.
The new rules became another stage in the development of state policy on digital assets.
In 2025, the country’s authorities proposed involving miners in modernizing Kazakhstan’s energy system. At the same time, a requirement was announced to sell 75% of mined cryptocurrency through the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC).
In early 2026, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a package of laws on banks and digital assets that закрепив the legal status of digital financial assets, defined the digital tenge as a form of the national currency, and aligned banking regulation with international standards.
Сообщение Kazakhstan’s Crypto Miners to Operate under New Rules Starting August 1 появились сначала на INCRYPTED.