Oman has moved to stop the sale of cryptocurrency mining equipment to unlicensed operators, with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion warning companies and individuals against supplying hardware to buyers who have not secured the required permits, according to Gulf News. The ministry said it had detected cases in which mining equipment was sold or supplied to individuals and entities that lacked the licences, permits and approvals needed to run mining operations, and it issued a formal notice to close that gap and tighten the rules.
New Restrictions on Equipment Sales
Under the notice, sellers are prohibited from completing any transaction involving cryptocurrency mining equipment unless the buyer is legally authorised to carry out mining activities. Suppliers must verify before every sale that the purchaser holds all required licences, permits and approvals from the competent authorities, and must establish that the buyer is legally eligible to undertake mining in the Sultanate. The ministry warned that companies and individuals who fail to comply with these checks could face legal and administrative action under the laws and regulations currently in force in the country. The requirement effectively shifts the burden of due diligence onto vendors, which must now screen buyers against licensing records before transferring any hardware.
Tightening a State-Led Mining Push
The enforcement move builds on Oman’s effort to bring mining under official control rather than leave it to informal operators. Earlier this year the Sultanate mandated a state-run Bitcoin mining pool that consolidated roughly 10 exahashes per second under government oversight, a move aimed at channelling the industry into regulated channels. The new equipment-sales rules extend that licensing logic to the supply chain, making it harder for unregistered miners to obtain hardware through domestic vendors and pushing the sector toward licensed, state-aligned participants only.
Energy and Enforcement Across the Region
The clampdown also reflects the energy sensitivity of mining, which draws heavy power loads that regulators across the Middle East and beyond are scrutinising. Similar pressures have already forced operators elsewhere to scale back or unwind projects, as seen when Tether’s Bitcoin mining push in Uruguay unravelled over energy concerns. By policing the equipment supply chain, Oman is signalling that unlicensed mining will not be tolerated, while continuing to promote its own licensed mining agenda as part of a broader digital-economy strategy.
