Turkmenistan Crypto Legalization 2026: New Law Opens Doors for Mining and Exchanges

Central Asia's energy giant is betting on Bitcoin. In a move to diversify its economy, Turkmenistan has officially legalized cryptocurrency mining and exchanges. According to CoinDesk on Jan 2, 2026, the nation's new regulatory framework is now in effect, aiming to attract digital foreign direct investment.

The Turkmenistan Crypto Legalization 2026 Framework

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov signed the Law on Virtual Assets on Nov 28, 2025, which categorizes virtual assets strictly as property rather than legal tender. This distinction means while you can't buy groceries with Bitcoin in Ashgabat, you can legally hold and trade it as an investment instrument.

The law divides assets into two tiers: secured (backed by underlying assets) and unsecured. This clarity is expected to provide the legal certainty essential for institutional investors who have previously avoided the region due to regulatory ambiguity.

Strict Oversight by the Central Bank

Mining is no longer a grey-market activity. Both individuals and companies can now operate mining farms, provided they register with the Central Bank of Turkmenistan. The legislation explicitly bans covert mining methods like cryptojacking and mandates strict technical standards to ensure grid stability.

• Crypto exchanges must obtain a license from the Central Bank to operate domestically.
• Mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules are in place.
• Entities associated with offshore jurisdictions are prohibited from owning local exchanges.