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Russia’s Energy Ministry Considers Mandatory Registry for Crypto Mining Equipment

Russia is planning to tighten its oversight of cryptocurrency mining to better enforce regional bans and regulate energy consumption. The country’s Ministry of Energy is considering the establishment of a mandatory registry for crypto mining equipment, aiming to track and control its usage nationwide. This initiative is intended to curb excessive electricity consumption linked to mining operations and ensure that mining activities do not take place in regions where they are prohibited.

The proposal was put forward by Deputy Minister of Energy Yevgeny Grabchak and reported by Russia’s state-owned news agency, TASS. According to the Ministry of Energy, the primary goal is to refine legal frameworks for identifying mining activities. The ministry emphasized the need to develop clearer criteria for distinguishing digital currency production from other industrial electricity consumers.

In addition to this regulatory move, Russian authorities are also making it easier for individuals involved in crypto mining to report their earnings. Reports citing Russia’s Federal Tax Service (FNS) indicate that taxpayers engaged in mining businesses can now officially declare their crypto-related income through their personal accounts.

This effort marks another step in Russia’s evolving approach to cryptocurrency regulation. While the country has not outright banned crypto mining nationwide, it continues to refine policies that balance economic opportunities with concerns over energy consumption and financial oversight.

Robinhood Beats Profit Estimates as Post-Election Trading Surge Lifts Volumes

Robinhood (HOOD.O) exceeded expectations for fourth-quarter profit, driven by a sharp rise in equity, options, and cryptocurrency trading after Donald Trump returned to the White House. Following the announcement, Robinhood’s shares jumped more than 14% in after-hours trading.

The company’s transaction-based revenue soared 236% to $672 million compared to the same quarter a year ago, fueled by increased fees from options, equities, and crypto trades.

Crypto trading activity was a major growth driver, with revenue from that segment rising 700% during the quarter as bitcoin approached the $100,000 mark. Investors were optimistic about pro-crypto policies expected under the new Trump administration.

“It was no secret that Robinhood’s Q4 earnings were going to be great, driven primarily by a huge uptick in crypto-related revenues,” said John Wu, President of Ava Labs.

The surge in equity and crypto markets came after Trump’s election victory, as investors anticipated deregulation and pro-business policies that would favor U.S. corporations and the growing digital asset sector.

Robinhood reported an adjusted profit of $1.01 per share, well above analysts’ expectations of 44 cents, according to data from LSEG.

The company’s assets under custody increased by 88% to $193 billion during the quarter, and quarterly net interest revenue, driven largely by margin investing, rose 25% to $296 million.

“This was a big quarter for us, so we did over $1 billion in revenue for the first time in the history of the company, and that capped off what was a record-breaking year with over $3 billion in revenue for the whole year,” Robinhood co-founder and CEO Vlad Tenev said on the company’s post-earnings call.

Trump’s Crypto Company Launches Strategic ‘Token Reserve’

World Liberty Financial (WLF), a cryptocurrency platform with financial backing from President Donald Trump, announced the launch of a strategic token reserve aimed at supporting Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other leading cryptocurrencies. The reserve is designed to mitigate market volatility, enhance investment in decentralized finance projects, and create a well-capitalized foundation for the company. WLF also plans to establish partnerships with financial institutions to contribute tokenized assets to the reserve.

The announcement, posted on X, comes amid a growing interest from Trump and his family in capitalizing on the crypto space. In addition to WLF, the Trump family’s business ventures now include a controlling stake in Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), a media and streaming company that recently pivoted to include financial services related to crypto.

Trump’s ventures into the world of crypto also include the launch of the $Trump meme coin just before his presidential inauguration, which reportedly raised millions of dollars, including $100 million in fees alone. WLF’s token sales have already reached an estimated $500 million, according to Reuters.

Trump’s assets are held in a revocable trust managed by his children during his presidency. WLF, which launched two months ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, is controlled by the Trump family, holding a 60% stake in the company and entitled to 75% of revenues and 22.5 billion tokens.

This move follows a surprise appearance by Donald Trump Jr. at the Ondo Summit in New York, where WLF’s founders outlined their vision of bridging the gap between crypto and traditional finance. Trump Jr. emphasized the need for a regulatory framework to allow crypto to thrive, calling it “the future of finance” and vital to maintaining “American hegemony.”