Opinion by: Fakhul Miah, managing director of GoMining Institutional
The Bitcoin (BTC) mining industry has never been more attractive to institutional investors. Fintech giants are investing in Bitcoin mining rather than just accumulating the asset, all thanks to the favorable regulatory environment in the US and the profitability margin of BTC.
Then, numerous companies are diversifying by allocating computing power to AI, further strengthening their economics and, thus, investment attractiveness. For now, it looks like the future of the foundational layer for the Bitcoin network could mark the new gusher age.
Is Bitcoin mining profitable?
Bitcoin mining is still profitable. CoinShares, a digital asset investment firm, shared that the average cost to mine 1 BTC for US-listed miners reached $55,950 in Q3 2024. Two other popular models — one from MacroMicro and another dubbed the Glassnode Difficulty Regression Model — give different estimates.
On the very same day of Feb. 20, MacroMicro.me data shows that the average cost to produce 1 BTC hovers above $92,000; Glassnode’s Difficulty Regression Model estimates the cost to mine a single BTC at approximately $34,400, all while the cryptocurrency’s price hit $98,300 on that day.
On a global scale, mining costs differ based on the region. For example, the electricity cost to produce 1 BTC in Ireland is roughly $321,000, but it costs just over $1,300 to mine 1 BTC in Iran. Electricity is only part of the equation — hardware, labor and maintenance costs also play a crucial role.
Recent data from CoinShares and MacroMicro.me paints a challenging yet nuanced picture for Bitcoin miners in the United States. While some institutional miners remain profitable, the broader landscape reveals increasing operational pressures that could reshape the mining industry.
What happens if the challenges aren’t addressed? Mining institutions with high profitability rates could start to expand their operations and possibly acquire struggling miners at bargain prices, potentially putting retail and smaller miners at risk.
Sustainable economics for investment attractiveness
In addition to receiving the block rewards, miners also benefit from the Bitcoin network’s transaction fees, which depend on network usage. Data shows that the daily Bitcoin transaction fees have been hovering between $360,000 and $1.3 million over the past month — reaching an average of $595,000 daily.
This additional revenue stream bolsters Bitcoin…
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