Cover image via New Straits Times
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Malaysia has lost RM4.57 billion in electricity over the past five years due to illegal cryptocurrency mining, according to the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation
Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof told parliament earlier this week that 13,827 premises nationwide were suspected of siphoning power for bitcoin mining from 2020 to August 2025.
"These activities not only endanger users' safety but also threaten economic stability, increase public safety risks, and pose a serious threat to the national power supply system," he said, as reported by the New Straits Times.
Thousands of bitcoin mining machines have been seized in joint raids carried out by police and Tenaga Nasional Bhd.
Image via FMTCryptocurrency mining is legal in Malaysia
However, operators must comply with government rules, including registration, environmental assessments, and energy efficiency audits.
Illegal operations identified by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) involved bypassing meters or tampering with the electricity supply, according to Fadillah.
To tackle the problem, TNB has built a database of suspected offenders and is working with law enforcement and other agencies.
Actions taken include raids on mining dens, the seizure of bitcoin machines, and the installation of smart meters to enable real-time monitoring for tampering.
The government has launched public awareness campaigns to educate Malaysians on the dangers of electricity theft and encourage reporting of suspicious activities
"The ministry, together with the Energy Commission and TNB, remains committed to combating meter interference and illegal electricity use, especially for bitcoin mining," Fadillah added.
Authorities have also intensified coordinated operations involving the police, National Anti-Financial Crime Centre, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, CyberSecurity Malaysia, the Inland Revenue Board, local authorities, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
