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The planned ban on bitcoin mining in Norway has been rejected

By Warren Hayes | May 14, 2022

The government won’t be able to prohibit Bitcoin (BTC) mining in Norway any time soon. According to a majority vote in the Norwegian parliament on Tuesday.

The plan to restrict Bitcoin mining in Norway was initially proposed by the Red Party (Norway’s communist party) in March of this year. The idea was defeated in this week’s vote, with only left-wing groups such as the Socialist Left Party, the Red Party, and the Green Party supporting a ban on bitcoin mining.

“The vote these parties lost was against banning large-scale Bitcoin mining overall,” Jaran Mellerud, an analyst at Arcane Research reportedly shared his explanation.

“Having lost this vote, these political parties will likely make one more attempt at increasing the power tax specifically for miners, which is now their only tool left in the toolbox for making life difficult for miners.”

Bitcoin mining firms have prospered in Norway in recent years, despite political parties’ attempts. Norway now generates as much as 1% of the worldwide Bitcoin hash rate, thanks to the Land of the Midnight Sun’s 100 percent renewable energy.

“Bitcoin-hostile political parties in Norway have been trying to force bitcoin miners out of the country by implementing a higher power tax rate specifically for miners or even attempting to ban mining.” Mellerud continued.

“Luckily, they haven’t been successful, and this decision by the government to not ban bitcoin mining should be the latest nail in the coffin for their attempts to get rid of the industry.”

Norway is a “green oasis” for Bitcoin mining, with ample hydropower and low energy rates, especially in the north.

The cost per kilowatt-hour in mid-northern and northern Norway is 0.12 Norwegian Krone ($0.012), a very competitive rate worldwide, or “extremely cheap.”

 “Ordinary households, companies, and the public sector pay an electricity tax of 15.41 øre ($0.015) per kilowatt-hour.” according to a report from Norwegian news outlet E24. 

However, the “mining industry has a reduced electricity tax.” 

“A rise in the electricity tax expressly for miners is now far less conceivable,” Mellerud said. Meanwhile, as customer interest in cryptocurrencies grows and TradFi firms dabble with BTC investments in Norway, Bitcoin is steadily making its way into the Norwegian financial environment.

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