美國比特幣礦機在減半中尋求海外新生

Will Older Bitcoin Mining Machines Find New Life Abroad?

舊的比特幣礦機會在國外找到新的生命嗎？

As the Bitcoin blockchain undergoes its quadrennial halving, a wave of older mining machines is expected to be decommissioned in the US. With the reward for mining set to be slashed in late April, miners are scrambling to upgrade to more efficient technology to offset the impact.

隨著比特幣區塊鏈每四年減半一次，預計美國將退役一波舊礦機。隨著四月下旬挖礦獎勵將大幅削減，礦工們正爭先恐後地升級到更有效率的技術以抵消影響。

The Economics of Halving

減半的經濟學

The halving event, scheduled for late April, will reduce the reward for miners by half, from 6.25 Bitcoin to 3.125 Bitcoin. This will make it more difficult for miners to turn a profit, especially those using older, less efficient machines.

定於 4 月下旬舉行的減半活動將使礦工的獎勵減少一半，從 6.25 比特幣減少到 3.125 比特幣。這將使礦工更難獲利，尤其是那些使用舊的、效率較低的機器的礦工。

Migration to Lower-Cost Regions

遷移到成本較低的地區

With electricity being the biggest expense for miners, companies are looking to lower their costs by relocating their older machines to regions with cheaper power. SunnySide Digital CEO Taras Kulyk notes that these machines can still generate decent profits in places like Ethiopia, Tanzania, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

由於電力是礦工最大的開支，公司正在尋求透過將舊機器遷移到電力更便宜的地區來降低成本。 SunnySide Digital 執行長 Taras Kulyk 指出，這些機器在衣索比亞、坦尚尼亞、巴拉圭和烏拉圭等地仍可產生可觀的利潤。

The Exodus of S19 Series Machines

S19系列機器的出走

According to Ethan Vera of Luxor Technology, around 600,000 S19 series computers, which constitute the majority of machines currently in use, are being moved out of the US, primarily to Africa and South America.

Luxor Technology 的 Ethan Vera 表示，大約 60 萬台 S19 系列電腦（構成目前使用的電腦的大部分）正在被移出美國，主要運往非洲和南美洲。

Challenges for US-Based Miners

美國礦工面臨的挑戰

While some miners are opting to sell their older machines, others are choosing to relocate them to lower-cost regions. Nuo Xu, who operates two sites in Texas, is exploring locations in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and other countries for his 6,000 older computers.

雖然一些礦商選擇出售舊機器，但其他礦商則選擇將其遷移到成本較低的地區。 Nuo Xu 在德克薩斯州經營兩個站點，目前正在埃塞俄比亞、尼日利亞和其他國家尋找位置來存放他的 6,000 台舊電腦。

The Role of Hosting Fees

託管費的作用

For miners who don't have their own facilities, hosting fees play a significant role. Xu estimates that hosting fees in the US are around 7 cents per kilowatt hour, while in Ethiopia, they are closer to 5 cents. This difference can make a substantial impact on profitability.

對於沒有自己的設施的礦工來說，託管費起著重要作用。 Xu 估計，美國的託管費約為每千瓦時 7 美分，而衣索比亞則接近 5 美分。這種差異會對獲利能力產生重大影響。

Ethiopia's Rise as a Mining Hub

埃塞俄比亞作為礦業中心的崛起

Ethiopia has emerged as a major player in the digital mining ecosystem, with its low electricity costs and increased power generation. SunnySide Digital is negotiating a deal to move between 20,000 and 40,000 rigs to the East African nation.

埃塞俄比亞憑藉其低廉的電力成本和增加的發電量，已成為數位採礦生態系統的主要參與者。 SunnySide Digital 正在就一項將 20,000 至 40,000 台鑽機轉移到東非國家的協議進行談判。

The Dilemma for Publicly Traded Miners

公開交易礦工的困境

Publicly traded companies face challenges in relocating machines abroad due to risk-averse shareholders and concerns about transportation, breakage, and security. As a result, some companies, like Bit Digital, are opting to keep their older machines in storage, ready to be deployed when Bitcoin prices rise.

由於股東規避風險以及對運輸、破損和安全的擔憂，上市公司在將機器遷往國外方面面臨挑戰。因此，像 Bit Digital 這樣的公司選擇將舊機器存放起來，以便在比特幣價格上漲時部署。

The Arms Race for Efficiency

效率軍備競賽

Miners have been investing heavily in new hardware to prepare for the halving. Since February 2023, the 13 major public Bitcoin-mining companies have placed orders for more than $1 billion worth of machines. Five of the biggest miners have raised over $2.7 billion in the past two years, and have added an additional $840 million this year.

礦商一直在大力投資新硬件，為減半做準備。自 2023 年 2 月以來，13 家主要上市比特幣挖礦公司已下了價值超過 10 億美元的機器訂單。過去兩年，五家最大的礦商籌集了超過 27 億美元的資金，今年又增加了 8.4 億美元。