Illegal crypto mining causes surge in electricity theft in Malaysia

The number of electricity thefts in Malaysia rose 300% from 2018 to 2024, largely driven by illegal crypto mining, according to CoinDesk, citing The Star. Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) reported that the number of theft cases jumped from 610 in 2018 to 2,397 in 2024. While crypto mining is not banned in Malaysia, tampering with electrical installations can result in fines of up to 1 million ringgit ($232,720) and up to 10 years in prison.