France sets strict conditions for selling energy to Bitcoin miners

SmartContractPhobia · 2026-02-27T07:01:41+00:00

The French government announced strict conditions for transferring shares of a state-owned energy company to U.S. Bitcoin miners, prioritizing national interests and energy security. This includes requiring a local investment firm to hold over 10% to prevent foreign control over vital energy infrastructure while balancing economic opportunities and national strategies.

SmartContractPhobia

2026-02-27 07:01:41

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The French government announced a significant decision regarding the transfer of shares in state-owned energy companies. When offering the majority of energy cloud shares to U.S. Bitcoin miners, the government has decided to impose several strict requirements. According to NS3.AI, this policy shift reflects a strategic national decision rather than just a commercial transaction.

Prioritizing National Interests

One of the initial conditions set by the French government requires that NJJ Capital, a French-based investment firm, hold at least 10% of the shares. This requirement functions as a safeguard to prevent foreign capital from gaining full control over critical energy infrastructure. Since Bitcoin mining operations consume vast amounts of energy, the French government needs to maintain a cautious stance from an energy security perspective.

NJJ Capital’s Role as a Monitoring Entity

Holding a 10% stake allows the local investment firm to participate and serve as a check on the management decisions of the mining company. From the government’s perspective, this structure enables the state to influence decisions related to the allocation of vital energy resources. In other words, it ensures that Bitcoin mining activities do not adversely affect the country’s energy supply, with a monitoring system in place.

Cautious Approach Toward Foreign Miners

France’s measures reflect the complex stance of European advanced nations toward the cryptocurrency mining industry. On one hand, they need to accept economic activity and investment; on the other, they aim to limit foreign control over critical infrastructure. Between the economic opportunities brought by mining companies and national energy strategies, France has adopted a conditional approval model with specific requirements.

This policy decision indicates that governments are shifting from simple permit/no-permit approaches to more sophisticated conditional access for energy-intensive industries like Bitcoin mining.

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