The use and mining of cryptocurrencies are not officially prohibited in Tajikistan, and a registered cryptocurrency exchange is operating in the country, Director of the Agency for Innovations and Digital Technologies Khurshed Fayzullozoda said at a news conference on February 6.

Responding to journalists’ questions about possible restrictions, Fayzullozoda emphasized that there is “not a single law in Tajikistan that prohibits the use or circulation of cryptocurrencies.”

According to him, as part of a pilot project, one of the residents of the IT Park has developed a domestic cryptocurrency exchange. “Banks can integrate with this platform and directly exchange funds for cryptocurrency, after which its use will be legal. Those who use foreign platforms are acting illegally. Users can register and operate on the platform developed within the IT Park,” he said.

At the same time, Fayzullozoda noted that cryptocurrency mining is not regulated by Tajik legislation. Given the existing electricity shortages, launching mining projects in the country is currently impossible, and there are no officially operating mining centers.

“Mining requires a large amount of electricity. At present, the government’s priority is to ensure electricity supply for the population and key sectors of the economy. In the future, when our energy capacity increases, mining may be developed, along with the creation of large artificial intelligence centers,” he said.

Meanwhile, a source within the Agency, speaking to Asia-Plus on condition of anonymity, said that the establishment of cryptocurrency mining centers will not be considered before 2027, until electricity supply issues affecting the population are fully resolved.

“As soon as the population is fully provided with electricity, we will reconsider this issue. At the moment, there are proposals from certain companies, but we are not ready,” the source said.

Legal uncertainty and criminal liability

Cryptocurrency is a type of digital asset whose production requires powerful computing equipment, high-speed internet access, and substantial electricity consumption.

In December last year, Tajikistan proposed introducing criminal liability for the illegal use of electricity for mining virtual assets or cryptocurrencies. Under the draft amendments to the Criminal Code, such offenses would be punishable by fines ranging from 15,000 to 75,000 somoni or imprisonment for a term of two to eight years.

Earlier, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported detecting cases of illegal connections of mining equipment, stating that these activities caused damage to the state budget amounting to millions of somoni. The Prosecutor General said that individuals were importing mining equipment into the country and illegally mining cryptocurrencies.

In the summer of 2025, he stated that “four to five criminal cases” had been initiated over the installation and use of cryptocurrency mining equipment. However, it remains unclear under which specific articles of the Criminal Code these cases were opened, as Tajikistan’s legislation still lacks a clear definition of cryptocurrency and does not formally regulate mining activities.

In practice, such offenses are usually classified as illegal use of electricity.