<p>With the intensification of global climate change and sustainable development challenges, the environmental impacts of cryptocurrency and energy markets have increasingly drawn the attention of both academia and policymakers. Based on monthly data spanning from September 2015 to December 2023, this study systematically examines the dynamic relationships between cryptocurrency markets, energy markets, and global carbon emissions. The wavelet quantile regression method reveals the complex nonlinear and quantile-dependent relationships between markets. Additionally, wavelet nonparametric quantile causality is used to further identify the causal mechanisms across different time scales and quantiles. The findings reveal a consistently positive correlation between Bitcoin prices, Bitcoin-related carbon emissions, and global carbon emissions across various time scales. However, Ethereum’s transition to the Proof of Stake mechanism has accelerated the adoption of greener consensus mechanisms among other cryptocurrencies, which is expected to significantly reduce global carbon emissions over the long term. The energy market is segmented into clean energy and dirty energy. In the short term, rising dirty energy prices exacerbate global carbon emissions, whereas in the long term, such price increases help drive structural shifts in energy consumption, with the promotion of clean energy playing a pivotal role in achieving a low-carbon transition. Based on this, the study recommends strengthening carbon regulation for cryptocurrencies and promoting the development of green mechanisms. Additionally, the study proposes upgrading renewable energy infrastructure while facilitating synchronized transformations in energy and crypto markets to mutually reinforce worldwide emissions reduction objectives.</p>