Laos will stop supplying electricity for crypto mining activities in 2026.

The Lao government plans to stop supplying electricity to crypto mining farms in Q1 2026, shifting energy to sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), metallurgy, and electric vehicle production – which are assessed to provide higher economic value. Deputy Minister of Energy Chanthaboun Soukaloun stated that electricity supply for crypto mining was implemented in 2021 due to an excess of domestic power, but now “crypto mining does not generate economic value like industrial sectors.” Currently, mining farms in Laos consume about 150 megawatts, a 70% decrease from the peak period of 2021–2022. This move reflects a shift in Laos's economic development priorities, which may lead to a fall in the hashrate of the Southeast Asian region, but is expected to promote industrial growth and provide more sustainable economic benefits.