Bitcoin mining machine (Photo by Valeria Mongelli)
Speaking at the Blockworks Digital Assets Summit on March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump pledged to make the United States “The undisputed bitcoin superpower.”
Yet, with mounting operational expenses and sluggish bitcoin prices, implementation is anything but easy.
Bitcoin’s hashrate continues to surge to all-time highs, underscoring the network’s rapid expansion and the growing demand for computational power. Driving this evolution is a crucial, but frequently overlooked component of the ecosystem: application-specific integrated circuits, the purpose-built machines that power bitcoin mining.
The New Phase of Hardware Competition
Hashrate isn’t just a technical metric, it’s a proxy for the health, security, and resilience of the Bitcoin network.
But, the production of ASIC mining hardware has long been dominated by just two players: Bitmain and MicroBT.
Since bitcoin’s early days in 2009, when enthusiasts mined the cryptocurrency from personal computers, the mining industry has grown into a global, multi-billion-dollar enterprise.
According to MinerMag, “As Bitcoin’s hashrate grows with new ASIC generations, miners face shrinking revenues per terahash, incentivizing cost reductions. This can be achieved by securing cheaper energy sources or upgrading to more efficient miners.”
Over the years, companies like Bitmain and MicroBT have dominated the market, capitalizing on efficient manufacturing and access to chip foundries. However, as demand for computing power expands, especially with the rise of AI, new competitors such as Auradine, Braiins, and Block’s Proto team are stepping in.
This period marks a pivotal shift in the ASIC landscape, where innovation and efficiency are key to staying competitive. Particularly, each Bitcoin halving cycle fuels the need for next-generation mining technology.
Growing Competition in Bitcoin Mining
More companies are entering the bitcoin mining chip market, including Auradine, Braiins, and Block’s Proto.
Auradine and Block are based in the U.S., while Braiins operates in the Czech Republic. Together, they represent a new wave, making the bitcoin mining market more competitive.
Auradine, founded in 2022 in Silicon Valley, recently launched its AH3880 miner. Designed for efficiency, stability, and AI integration, it features a closed-loop hydro cooling system that enhances energy use and longevity, positioning it as a strong competitor to existing market leaders. Its reliability and forward-looking design catch the attention of large-scale operators and data centers alike.
Also founded in 2022 is Proto. Supported by Jack Dorsey’s Block and partnering with Core Scientific, they take a distinctly open-source approach to Bitcoin mining.
“It provides all mining companies with more miner options,” said Russell Cann, Chief Development Officer at Core Scientific.
Proto’s open ASIC platform supplies developers with chips, systems, and tools to create custom solutions. This effort aims to reduce entry barriers, encourage innovation, and decentralize control in a market long dominated by a handful of major players.
Braiins, long known for its contributions to mining software, is now building its own ASIC hardware.
“The mining hardware market is extremely centralized,” said Braiins’ Chief of Propaganda, Kristian Csepcsar, in an interview with Forbes.
The company aims to challenge that dynamic with a more decentralized, flexible design architecture.
Bitcoin Miners Help Power the Future of AI and HPC
This next generation of mining hardware companies is also aligned with broader trends in the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Riot Platforms, one of the largest bitcoin mining companies, CEO Jason Les, said at the Bitcoin for America Summit in March 2025,
“Bitcoin miners solve the energy problem. They take power immediately, anywhere… helping bring more energy into the U.S. for AI, HPC, and data centers.”
Les emphasized that miners can act as flexible energy consumers, helping balance grids and accelerate the development of power infrastructure for AI and data centers.
Redefining the future of bitcoin mining isn’t just about who builds the fastest machines, it’s about creating a competitive ecosystem.
