Chinese Bitcoin mining giants move production to US amid tariff tensions
China’s top three Bitcoin mining rig manufacturers, Bitmain, Canaan, and MicroBT, are reportedly shifting parts of their production to the United States, Reuters reported on June 18.
The move comes as a response to intensifying trade tensions triggered by President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff policies.
These tariffs, aimed at reducing US reliance on foreign technology, are prompting significant changes across the crypto hardware supply chain.
Chinese miners move to the US
According to the report, Bitmain, the largest of the trio, began manufacturing in the US last December, shortly after Trump secured his return to the presidency.
Canaan followed with a company executive confirming that the firm is in an early-stage trial meant to gauge the long-term feasibility of US operations.
Lastly, MicroBT recently confirmed that it was working on a localization plan to limit tariff exposure and maintain market access.
The three Chinese companies manufacture more than 90% of the world’s BTC mining machines. These specialized computers perform the heavy calculations that power Bitcoin’s proof-of-work consensus by validating transactions and securing the network.
By building factories in the US, these Chinese firms hope to minimize the cost impact of cross-border tariffs. However, their presence may also raise security concerns among US regulators, especially given past tensions around Chinese involvement in critical industries.
US miners’ hashrate hits high
The Chinese Bitcoin mining machine manufacturers’ move further comes as the US hosts a growing share of global Bitcoin mining power.
On June 17, Mathew Sigel, VanEck’s head of digital asset research, shared data showing that the combined hashrate of US-listed miners recently hit 31.6% of the global total, marking a new record.
Hashrate refers to the total computing power securing the network and reflects how competitive mining has become.
Over the past year, the hashrate from US miners has rapidly increased, jumping by nearly 50% from a low of 21% in April 2024 to the current number.
This data shows a clear trend that America is becoming the new hub of industrial-scale Bitcoin mining, and Chinese firms are pivoting to stay in the game.