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Lawrence Jengar
Oct 02, 2025 06:58

UAE’s capital imposes record AED 100,000 penalties on cryptocurrency mining operations misusing agricultural land, marking 900% fine increase as authorities prioritize food security over digital assets.

The United Arab Emirates has delivered a crushing blow to cryptocurrency miners operating illegally on agricultural land, with Abu Dhabi’s food safety regulator imposing unprecedented fines that represent a nearly ten-fold increase from previous penalties. The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority announced Tuesday that cryptocurrency mining operations discovered on farmland will face immediate fines of AED 100,000 ($27,229), with penalties doubling to AED 200,000 for repeat violations. The dramatic enforcement escalation marks a 900% increase from 2024’s maximum penalty of AED 10,000. Immediate Enforcement Action Beyond the substantial financial penalties, violating operations face a comprehensive shutdown protocol. Authorities will disconnect electrical supply to affected properties, confiscate all mining hardware, and suspend government services including agricultural subsidies and municipal support systems. “This represents the most aggressive crackdown we’ve seen in the Gulf region against unauthorized crypto mining,” said Marcus Al-Rashid, a Dubai-based cryptocurrency regulatory consultant. “The UAE is clearly drawing hard lines between legitimate digital asset activities and operations that compromise national food security priorities.” The enforcement action affects both farm owners and tenants, with no distinction made between different types of cryptocurrency mining operations. The authority emphasized that agricultural land must remain exclusively dedicated to food production activities to maintain eligibility for government support programs. Strategic Resource Protection The timing of Abu Dhabi’s crackdown aligns with broader regional concerns about energy consumption and agricultural sustainability. The emirate has positioned itself as a leader in both cryptocurrency innovation and environmental stewardship, creating inevitable tension between competing priorities. “Energy-intensive mining operations on agricultural land create a double threat,” explained Dr.…

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Filed under: News - @ October 4, 2025 3:23 am