Belarusian President: Supporting digital assets as a potential tool to enhance the country's economic autonomy.

PANews reported on November 17 that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko strongly supports Bitcoin and crypto mining, viewing digital assets as a potential tool to enhance the country's economic autonomy. In a recent government meeting on energy strategy, he indicated that cryptocurrencies help to drop the country's dependence on the traditional dollar financial system. Although he acknowledged the volatility of digital assets, considering the geopolitical pressures and forex restrictions Belarus is currently facing, he believes that the benefits of embracing Bitcoin far outweigh the risks. Previously, the country constructed a regulatory environment for digital asset operations through Decree No. 8, laying a legal foundation for crypto activities. Lukashenko reiterated that the country's abundant electricity resources and existing industrial infrastructure provide good conditions for expanding the scale of mining operations. He pointed out that surplus energy can be redirected to profitable crypto mining activities instead of being wasted, further reinforcing the view that mining can both generate income and enhance strategic resilience.