Kazakhstan has approved a strategic crypto mining framework that grants large-scale miners regulated electricity access in exchange for contributing part of their mined assets to a state-backed reserve. According to Zakon.kz, the government approved the new rules on July 18 through Government Resolution No. 638, published in the PRG.kz legal database. The framework introduces a new category known as strategic digital mining, allowing qualifying companies to receive electricity quotas at regulated tariffs after agreeing to transfer a portion of their mined cryptocurrency to Astana Hub, a government-backed technology cluster. The rules will take effect on August 1, 2026.
The latest framework provides miners with unprecedented electricity security through locked-in electricity rates for up to 10 years. According to the approved rules, mining companies that pass the government's approval process gain access to capped electricity quotas, essentially guaranteeing that their power costs won't spike for a full decade. The initial program includes a 300 megawatt electricity quota supplied by Ekibastuz GRES 1, one of Kazakhstan's largest power plants. This represents a significant improvement from previous arrangements, providing miners with long-term planning certainty and protecting them from volatile energy markets.
Only miners meeting extensive infrastructure standards will qualify for strategic status under the new framework. As reported by Zakon.kz, applicants must own a digital mining data center with at least 150 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity and mining equipment that provides a minimum computing power of 150 terahashes per second (TH/s) per unit. Beyond hardware requirements, companies must employ qualified technical personnel, maintain repair facilities within their mining sites, secure contracts with multiple internet service providers, and remain current on taxes and other mandatory payments before receiving approval. The authorized agency will have three working days to verify each application before sending it to a dedicated commission, which will then have five working days to assess requirements and electricity quota availability.
The resolution requires participating miners to contribute part of their mined cryptocurrency to a reserve mechanism administered through Astana Hub. Participating miners must transfer 10% of the digital assets remaining after electricity and delivery costs, including value added tax, are converted into their digital asset equivalent and deducted from the total output. Contributions must be made each month by the 25th day of the following month, with assets placed under the management of the National Investment Corporation of the National Bank of Kazakhstan for investment through the country's National Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve. Companies must open a separate digital asset wallet for strategic mining operations and submit an independent audit each year by April 1.
Kazakhstan joins at least four other nations—Bhutan, El Salvador, the UAE, and Pakistan—that are actively mining Bitcoin as a strategy to build state-level reserves. Some researchers suggest the actual number of governments involved could be as high as 13. Bhutan holds approximately 6,000 BTC using its abundant hydropower resources, while El Salvador maintains about 7,517 BTC, with roughly 474 BTC coming from domestic mining operations. Kazakhstan's approach is structured as a public-private partnership, outsourcing mining to private companies while taking a cut of the proceeds. The country has been building toward this strategy since legalizing mining operations in 2020 and passing its Law on Digital Assets in 2023.
