Is crypto mining legal in China?

Crypto mining in China is banned as of November 2026. The ban covers new projects, existing sites and, since 2026, domestic sales of mining machines. It sits alongside China's wider ban on crypto trading, explained in is crypto legal in China, which focuses on exchanges and token sales rather than mining.

What was the China bitcoin mining ban of 2021?

The core rule is a notice signed on September 3, 2021 and published on September 24 by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) with ten other bodies, including the central bank, the tax administration and the National Energy Administration. It banned investment in new mining projects under any name and barred data centres from being used for mining. Existing operations had to close in an orderly way on deadlines set by local governments.

The notice also used energy and money as levers. Mining was to be listed as an eliminated industry in the national catalogue that guides investment. Mines still running had to pay a surcharge of 0.30 yuan per kWh on electricity, which local governments could raise. Tax breaks, subsidies and loans for mining were to stop, and banks could recall loans already made.

Is crypto mining banned in China in 2026?

Yes. On February 6, 2026, eight agencies, including the People's Bank of China and the NDRC, issued a notice on virtual currency risks that replaced the 2021 trading notice, Han Kun reported. Its mining section, led by the NDRC, cites the 2024 industrial catalogue. According to the text reported by IT Home, it makes each provincial government fully responsible for the crackdown in its area. Provinces must review and shut down existing mining projects, and new ones are strictly prohibited.

The 2026 notice adds a rule aimed at manufacturers. Makers of ASIC miners may not sell machines or offer related services inside China.

Is there a China bitcoin mining comeback?

Some mining has returned despite the rules. Reuters reported in November 2025 that China's share of global mining had risen to about 14% by the end of October 2025, according to Hashrate Index, while CryptoQuant estimated 15% to 20%. Miners pointed to cheap surplus power in provinces such as Xinjiang that cannot easily be sent elsewhere. Reuters noted that mining remained officially banned, and the NDRC did not respond to its questions.

That activity carries legal risk, since the 2026 notice tells provinces to close such sites. For how large mines operate, see how bitcoin mining farms work. Other countries' rules are compared in is crypto mining legal.

Rules differ by country and change often. Check the national regulator or a qualified professional for your own situation.