Venezuelan government is requiring Bitcoin (TIKER: BTC.EXANTE) miners to join an online registry, Bitcoinist.com reported.
The announcement of the new registry was made at a recent press conference by Carlos Vargas, the newly appointed “superintendent of Venezuelan cryptocurrency.”
Vargas says: “We want to know who they are, we want to know where they are, we want to know what equipment they are using.”
Bitcoin miners will have to start registering with the government on December 22nd when the online registry goes live.
Those in favor of the registry say that it will offer legal protections to Bitcoin miners.
The government has been cracking down on miners. The police have charged the Bitcoin miner with exchange fraud, computer crimes, damage to the national electric system, financing terrorism, and money laundering.
Venezuela recently announced plans to issue Petro, their own national cryptocurrency.