Crypto mining company Argo Blockchain’s plans to open a data center in West Texas are likely nearing completion following an inauguration ceremony. In a Thursday announcement on Twitter, Argo said it expects to begin mining operations at its Helios facility in Dickens County, Texas starting next week. The announcement came more than a year after the mining firm purchased a 320-acre land plot to construct the facility, first breaking ground on the 200-megawatt data center in July 2021. We are thrilled to announce the energization and opening of Helios, our flagship Bitcoin mining facility in Dickens County, Texas! ⚡⚡⚡ Thanks …

The government of Kazakhstan has laid out new reporting requirements for cryptocurrency mining operators with a keen eye on how the industry’s energy usage affects the local power grid. The order, published by the country’s Minister of Digital Development earlier this week, compels digital mining businesses to provide comprehensive information 30 days before starting operations. The electricity consumption and “technical specifications” for connection to the power grid must be provided before commencing operations. The amount and type of mining equipment used, the customs cargo declarations for that equipment and any investments planned for the next 12 months must also be …

Last week, New York dominated crypto media headlines in very different ways. In New York State, the local Assembly voted in favor of the bill that would ban for two years any new mining operations that rely on proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanisms and use fossil fuel-generated energy. A temporary moratorium, which could be extended after the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation provides its assessments of the industry’s carbon footprint, marks the first major legislative attack on PoW mining on environmental grounds in the United States. The push mobilized the community — after digital asset advocacy groups rang the alarm on …

The Empire State made two appearances on the regulatory stage last week, and neither was entirely reassuring. On April 25, bill S8839 was proposed in the New York State (NYS) Senate that would criminalize “rug pulls” and other crypto frauds, while two days later, the state’s Assembly passed a ban on non-green Bitcoin (BTC) mining. The first event was met with some ire from industry representatives, while the second drew negative reviews, too. However, this may have been more of a reflex response given that the “ban” was temporary and principally aimed at energy providers. The fraud bill, sponsored by …

On April 26, the State of New York put itself at the forefront of the regulatory struggle with crypto, as its Assembly voted for a two-year moratorium on crypto mining operations that use energy generated by fossil-fuel power plants. Depending on how one looks at it, this development could either signal a new alarming legislative trend or a trigger that would accelerate the digital asset industry’s movement toward a more sustainable path. Moratorium with further evaluation The lower chamber of the NY state legislature, the Assembly, passed a bill that would put a two-year hold on any new mining operations …

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) have submitted their review notes on the forthcoming “crypto bill,” developed by the country’s Finance Ministry. Law enforcement agencies push for requiring crypto firms to share transaction data with investigators and for clarifying the terms on which digital assets can be seized. On Thursday, local newspaper Izvestia reported on the content of the review notes that the security service and police ministry filed to the Finance Ministry’s draft of the bill “On digital currency.” Some of the propositions were reportedly accepted by the ministry, while others were turned …

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 …

Amid Bitcoin (BTC) mining stocks such as Hut 8 Mining touching multi-month lows, a major industry executive has outlined key differences between BTC investment and investing in BTC-linked stocks. Ben Gagnon, chief mining officer of the major Bitcoin mining company Bitfarms, believes that direct BTC investment and exposure to BTC mining stocks are two “fundamentally different” investment strategies to suit different people and interests. “A direct investment in Bitcoin is a simple, long-term investment suitable for the vast majority of people,” Gagnon said in an interview with Cointelegraph. On the other hand, investing in publicly traded BTC miners is a …

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 …

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 …