Riot Platforms Bitcoin Mining Update: May Production and Infrastructure Growth
Riot Platforms, a prominent Bitcoin (BTC) miner, experienced a 43% decrease in Bitcoin production in May, directly attributed to the impact of the April 20 Bitcoin halving. The halving reduced mining rewards to 3.125 BTC, prompting Riot to preplan an infrastructure upgrade to maintain Bitcoin production post-halving.
In response to the decline, Riot launched a new Bitcoin mining facility in Corsicana, Texas, adding 3.1 exahashes per second (EH/s) to their total self-mining capacity, which now stands at 14.7 EH/s – a 17% increase from the previous month. The facility currently operates at 100 megawatts (MW) and is set to scale up to 1 gigawatt (1,000 MWs) once fully developed.
Riot’s long-term goal is to achieve a total hash rate capacity of 31 EH/s by the end of 2024 and 41 EH/s by 2025. To achieve this, the company entered into a master purchase agreement with MicroBT, ordering 33,280 miners for the new facility.
In addition to upgrading to more efficient mining equipment, Riot implemented a unique power strategy that generated approximately $7.3 million in power and demand response credits in May. CEO Jason Les emphasized the importance of these strategies in ensuring profitability, especially during bear markets.
Furthermore, Riot made headlines with its offer to buy out competitor Bitfarms at a significant premium over its share price. The buyout proposal, totaling $950 million in equity value for shareholders, represents a 24% premium over Bitfarms’ one-month volume-weighted average share price as of May 24.
Overall, Riot Platforms’ strategic moves and infrastructure developments showcase their commitment to growth and profitability in the ever-evolving Bitcoin mining industry.