The Chinese government is not a fan of cryptocurrencies – to say the least. The country is responsible for at least 75% of Bitcoin mining or hashrate. The cheap electricity and established supply chains make mining is the country feasible. However, the government has had a strict stance against cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin is notoriously known for its high energy consumption. Mining a proof-of-work mechanism cryptocurrency – like Bitcoin – requires high energy. Unless the mining process shifts towards totally renewable sources, it cannot be sustained. China relies heavily on coal for electricity generation and the country has been trying to control its carbon emissions. The process had been hindered by the large Bitcoin mining industry that the country holds.

In May, the Chinese State Council hinted towards a crackdown on Bitcoin mining in the country in order to facilitate its broader vision of zero net emissions. The vice premier Liu He vocalized that for financial stability in the country, the government will impose a ban on cryptocurrency mining. The news coupled with Elon Musk’s denouncing of Bitcoin as payment for his Tesla cars led to the market crash of cryptocurrency. A number of mining firms halted operations in the country while others stopped their supply of equipment to Chinese miners.

Now, another province in China – Qinghai – has also imposed a ban on cryptocurrency mining. Qinghai’s Department of Industry and Information Technology has instructed all miners to halt operations and had said that no new miners will be approved. The provincial government will also be conducting random checks in order to ensure compliance with the new regulation.

The governments of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia have also ensured similar regulations to curtail cryptocurrency mining. Other provinces can be expected to follow suit – banning cryptocurrency mining. The news does not bode for the cryptocurrency market and a shift of crypto mining to another country seems imminent.