The New York State Assembly passed a bill late on Tuesday that would place a two-year ban on all new proof-of-work (PoW) cryptocurrency mining facilities in the state that use a carbon-based fuel to power their operations. The bill, sponsored by Anna Kelles, would not only impose a two-year hold on approval of any new Bitcoin mines, but the proposed moratorium would also prevent the renewal of permits issued to existing PoW cryptocurrency miners using carbon sourced energy if they seek to increase the amount of electricity consumed. Thrilled that my bill with Senate champion @kevinparkernyc A7389C/S6486D just passed in …

Fort Worth, Texas has launched a pilot program to mine Bitcoin in partnership with the Texas Blockchain Council. In a Tuesday city council meeting, Fort Worth approved a resolution to start running three Antminer S9 Bitcoin (BTC) miners donated by the Texas Blockchain Council in the city hall building. The pilot program was aimed at recognizing “the exponential growth of the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries” in addition to encouraging Fort Worth to become a tech leader. "This is a very small opportunity for Fort Worth that has big possible returns on investment," said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker at the …

Bitcoin (BTC) mining companies are further adopting green energy as the global Bitcoin mining industry increased its sustainable energy mix by approximately 59% year over year. The Bitcoin Mining Council (BMC) is a group of 44 Bitcoin mining companies claiming to represent 50% of the global Bitcoin network, or 100.9 exahash (EH). It released a new report on Monday with the findings. The group is also fronted by Bitcoin proponent and MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor. The latest survey of BMC member companies questioned how much electricity their companies consumed, what percentage of that electricity is generated by hydro, wind, solar, …

New York's legislature might ban proof-of-work (PoW) crypto mining in the state for at least two years, citing environmental concerns. Over the past weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, several crypto advocacy groups — including the Blockchain Association and Crypto Council for Innovation — rang the alarm over the upcoming vote in the New York Assembly. The state Senate's official webpage did not indicate a specific date for the vote. 1/ New York’s proposed moratorium on proof-of-work (S6486D/A7389C) mining has an unintended consequence - it puts innovation on the back burner. It would have significant implications for the security of major …

Bitcoin (BTC) starts a new week in an uncertain place facing uncertain times — is $40,000 now resistance? The largest cryptocurrency has just closed a fourth red weekly candle in a row, something that has not happened since June 2020. As cold feet over the macro market outlook continues to be the norm, there seems little to comfort bulls as the week gets underway — and Bitcoin is not done selling off yet. On the back of $4,000 in losses over the past four days alone, price targets now focus on retests of liquidity levels further toward $30,000. It is …

Who would have thought that a small country in the Caucasus Mountains could become one of the world’s leaders in cryptocurrency mining? Despite its small size and population, Georgia has become a popular spot for cryptocurrency mining thanks to its cheap electricity, the absence of legislative restrictions and attractive tax incentives. This combination of factors has engaged not only Georgian citizens but also foreigners who want to try their hand at cryptocurrency mining. Oasis for miners Georgia’s economy is actively developing, but it has not yet grown up to the level of other developed countries. In 2015, in order to …

April 22 is Earth Day, and with environmental sustainability one of the key topics in the global debate surrounding Bitcoin (BTC) mining, analysts say the industry has begun to naturally gravitate towards cleaner and cheaper energy sources. According to a January report by the Bitcoin Mining Council, the global Bitcoin mining industry ran on an estimated 58.5% renewable energy by Q4 2021. The preference for clean energy is due to a combination of environmental conscientiousness, political pressures and an eye on the bottom line. It’s resulting in a sea change that could have ripple effects that extend well beyond Bitcoin …

European Union officials discussed banning Bitcoin (BTC) trading during a debate on a proposal to ban proof-of-work (PoW) mining, according to documents obtained through a freedom of information request. According to a report published by German digital culture organization Netzpolitik, officials from the EU went as far as suggesting that an all-out ban on trading Bitcoin should be enforced in order to curb its overall energy consumption. The most worrying comments, from the crypto community’s perspective, came from a document that detailed some minutes from an EU meeting with Sweden’s financial supervisor and an environmental protection agency. These officials suggested …

The United States Treasury Department has added Russia-based crypto mining services provider BitRiver and several subsidiaries as firms facilitating the evasion of sanctions. In a Wednesday announcement, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, said it was taking action against BitRiver AG, as well as 10 of its Russia-based subsidiaries, naming the companies as “Specially Designated Nationals.” Firms and individuals listed as such by OFAC have their assets blocked and “U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.” According to the U.S. Treasury, the actions against BitRiver and its subsidiaries were based on them allegedly facilitating …

The Iranian government will increase the penalties for the use of subsidized energy in crypto mining. The move marks another step in tightening mining regulation in the country, which had faced energy shortages in recent years. Citing the country’s Power Generation, Distribution, and Transmission company, the Tehran Times reported that the government plans to drastically increase the rates of fines for mining operators who use subsidized electricity on Saturday. The company's representative Mohammad Khodadadi Bohlouli specified: “Any use of subsidized electricity, intended for households, industrial, agricultural and commercial subscribers, for mining cryptocurrency is prohibited.” According to Bohlouli, the fines for …

North Dakota government officials rocked up to the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami to lure cryptocurrency miners into their greener pastures. They came with the promise of the “cleanest crypto on the planet.” The North Dakota Commerce Department dropped $35,000 on the trip, saying it expected a return of 20,000% or more from its presence at the conference. The department announced that the state has already secured $3 billion of crypto investment and is close to attracting another $3 billion worth of projects. North Dakota hopes to end its reliance on agriculture and oil by enticing crypto mining companies to …

The town of Serodino in Argentina’s Santa Fe Province could begin to mine crypto in a bid to raise the money needed for its rail infrastructure upgrade. Its mayor doesn’t see any risk in mining the digital currencies that can be sold immediately. As the local media reported on April 10, the town of 6000 people has already purchased six graphics cards and will be buying a mining rig in the nearest future. According to Sorradino’s mayor Juan Pio Drovetta, the initiative to mine cryptocurrencies was supported by the local community. Like many other rural towns in Argentina, Sorradino was …