As cryptocurrency continues to use unfathomable amounts of energy, entire countries have turned against the technology. For example, Sweden has started asking the European Union to ban crypto mining. China has outright banned it already.
Kosovo bans crypto mining
Amidst countries banning crypto, the European country of Kosovo has joined the fray. As mining cryptocurrency becomes more popular in the South European region, everyday citizens are starting to suffer.
With electronic mining using up so many resources, the country has been suffering from an electricity shortage. As a result, the country has been forced to introduce rolling blackouts, affecting those outside of the crypto bubble.
Energy supplies have become stretched so thin that Kosovo was forced to issue a 60-day state of emergency. As the blackouts continued, civilians called for the resignation of the country's Economy Minister, Artane Rizvanolli.
Via the BBC, the country has responded by banning crypto mining. As of Tuesday, anyone found mining cryptocurrency will be legally punished.
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How countries stop people mining cryptocurrency
Of course, when a country bans crypto mining, many are confused how miners are discovered. However, finding miners is relatively easy. With the massive resource drain mining has on the power grid, places with massive energy use are quickly discovered.
In China, this led to miners hiding in already energy intensive areas like labs or universities. However, the extra surge in power that mining causes meant that miners were still found.
With rising energy prices worldwide, Kosovo likely won't be the last country to ban mining. In the future, more regions will possibly impose limits on mining to keep power grids in check.