Kazakhstan sets strict strategic mining rules linked to state-backed crypto reserve

Infrastructure threshold for miners

Under the new rules, applicants must own a digital mining data center with at least 150 megawatts of capacity. They must also use mining equipment with a minimum computing power of 150 terahashes per second for each unit.

The requirements go beyond hardware and power capacity. Miners applying for strategic status must also maintain qualified technical staff, operate repair facilities at their data centers and hold multiple internet service contracts. In addition, they must be current on required tax payments and other mandatory obligations before approval can be granted.

Electricity access tied to approval

The strategic mining framework is designed as an exchange: miners that meet the state’s standards gain access to electricity quotas at regulated tariffs, while taking on obligations defined by the new system.

Approved companies would be required to purchase electricity from eligible power-generating companies. They would also need to sign agreements with the autonomous cluster fund of Astana Hub, the government-backed technology cluster at the center of the reserve mechanism.

Reserve contribution requirement

A key element of the new rules is the requirement that approved miners transfer part of their mined crypto assets into a reserve mechanism linked to Astana Hub. The government text, as described in the report, does not specify what portion of mined assets must be transferred.

Some local media reports have referred to a 10% transfer rate. That figure, however, could not be independently verified in the source report, leaving the exact contribution level unclear for now.

What the framework establishes

The measures effectively create a formal state-supervised route for industrial-scale miners that can meet high technical and operational standards. Only miners with very large facilities, high-performance equipment and full compliance with staffing, connectivity and payment requirements would be positioned to qualify.

At the same time, the reserve-transfer provision suggests Kazakhstan is seeking not only to regulate energy use by the mining sector, but also to channel a share of mining output through a state-backed mechanism. The detailed operating rules for that transfer, including the eventual percentage if one is set, remain a point to watch.

The resolution does not, based on the source report, outline broader eligibility categories beyond the listed operational standards, nor does it clarify in the available details how reserve assets would be managed after transfer. What is clear is that the strategic label would come with both electricity advantages and direct obligations to Astana Hub.