Thousands of crypto mining rigs have started moving out of US ports after prolonged seizures, marking a major development for the Bitcoin mining industry.
US Customs Releases Thousands of Crypto Miners
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has begun releasing Chinese-made crypto miners after months of being held at various ports of entry. Taras Kulyk, CEO of mining manufacturer Synteq Digital, told Reuters that “thousands of units have been released” following the seizure of up to 10,000 mining rigs.
“Apparently, some folks in CBP really didn’t like Bitcoin mining and wanted to give the entire sector a headache—which they did quite well,” Kulyk added.
Luxor Technology’s chief operating officer, Ethan Vera, confirmed that while some shipments have been freed, “right now that is still a minority of them.”
Why Were the Crypto Miners Seized?
The delay primarily stemmed from an investigation into Bitmain-related chip designer Sophgo, which was linked to the US Department of Commerce’s probe in October 2023. The investigation was triggered after similar chips appeared in a Huawei AI processor. Huawei has been under US sanctions since 2019.
Despite Sophgo denying any business ties with Huawei, the CBP continued holding shipments of Bitmain’s Antminer application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) since at least September 2023. Other Chinese ASIC manufacturers, however, were not affected.
One company claimed it had been charged over $200,000 in holding fees for 200 ASIC miners in November. The CBP’s actions reportedly followed a request from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
US Tariffs and the Impact on Crypto Mining
The release of these miners coincides with new 10% tariffs on Chinese imports imposed by the Trump administration. Meanwhile, similar tariff plans involving Canada and Mexico are still moving forward.
China dominates the crypto mining hardware industry, supplying 98% of all mining chips. To mitigate future trade disruptions, Bitmain recently expanded production to the US, aiming to speed up deliveries and support industry partners.
The US Remains a Bitcoin Mining Powerhouse
The US remains a dominant player in Bitcoin mining, with 38% of the Bitcoin network hashrate based in the country, according to The Chain Bulletin’s Bitcoin Mining Map. Four of the largest publicly traded Bitcoin miners—MARA Holdings, Core Scientific, CleanSpark, and Riot Platforms—are also headquartered in the US.
