Kuwait Declares Cryptocurrency Mining Illegal Due to Infrastructure Strain

According to PANews, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior announced on April 22 that cryptocurrency mining is now considered an illegal activity in the country. This decision was made due to violations of several national laws and the strain it places on the country's electrical infrastructure. The ban references the 1970 Penal Code Amendment No. 31, the 2014 Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Law No. 37, the 1996 Industrial Law No. 56, and the 2016 Municipal Ordinance No. 33. The Ministry highlighted that unauthorized cryptocurrency mining leads to excessive energy consumption, increasing the load on the public power grid. This has resulted in power outages in residential, commercial, and industrial areas, affecting the supply of essential services. The warning was jointly issued by the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority, the Public Authority for Industry, and municipal departments. Authorities have urged entities involved in mining to "immediately rectify" their activities and warned that legal actions will be taken against violators, including referral to investigative bodies for further action.