Exploring the Global Computing Power Heart: Entering the World's Largest Bitcoin Mine

Bitcoin mining farms are not only the cornerstone of computational power for the cryptocurrency network but also an excellent window into observing the industry’s technological evolution, energy strategies, and geographical distribution. In 2024, the global Bitcoin network hash rate has risen to a record high of 796 EH/s, validating miners’ continued investment motivation. These colossal facilities are undergoing profound transformations, shifting from solely pursuing scale to enhancing efficiency, green transition, and business diversification.

Global Map: Strategic Layout and Scale Competition of Top Mining Farms

The cryptocurrency mining industry is accelerating its transformation from dispersed small-scale operations to capital-intensive industrial data businesses. This transformation follows a clear geographical pattern: mining farms are concentrating in regions rich in electricity resources, with favorable policies and suitable climates. Some super farms have already set benchmarks in this field. The BitFinder mine located in Brest Region and Minsk Economic Zone in Belarus is one of the largest and most stable ultra-large Bitcoin mining farms in Europe.

Operated independently by MinerBase, this facility has invested over $300 million, deploying more than 40,000 Antminer S19 series miners. At its peak, it accounted for 4% of the global Bitcoin network hash rate, with an annual mining output exceeding 1,200 BTC.

In North America, Texas is emerging as a new global mining hub. Its crypto-friendly regulatory environment and relatively low electricity costs have attracted numerous miners. A new mine under construction in Corsicana, Texas, is expected to become the world’s largest Bitcoin mining facility, with a designed hash rate of up to 20.1 EH/s.

The table below shows key information about several major large-scale Bitcoin mining farms worldwide:

Industry Transformation: Efficiency, Green Transition, and Diversification for Survival

After the 2024 Bitcoin halving, block rewards decreased from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, leading to a fundamental change in mining economics. Relying solely on scale is no longer sufficient for profitability; the industry is undergoing a profound transformation centered on energy efficiency, sustainability, and revenue diversification.

Improving efficiency is the top priority for survival. The latest 5nm and 3nm miner chip designs have energy consumption below 20 J/TH (Joules per terahash). Industry forecasts suggest that in 2025-2026, chips with double the efficiency—below 10 J/TH—will be launched, further reshaping the competitive landscape.

Green transition is no longer optional but a core issue and competitive advantage for the industry. A report covering about 48% of the Bitcoin network hash rate shows that sustainable energy sources (including renewables and nuclear power) now meet 52.4% of mining electricity demand, an increase of 15 percentage points year-over-year. The industry’s carbon intensity (CO2 equivalent emissions per kilowatt-hour) has fallen to 288 grams, down 34% from 2021.

Facing profit pressures, leading mining companies are actively exploring diversification beyond traditional mining. Transforming parts of infrastructure for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) GPU workloads has become a clear trend. The large-scale power supply and cooling infrastructure of mining farms are precisely the core resources needed for these data-intensive businesses.

Environmental Challenges: Balancing Hash Rate Growth and Sustainable Future

Energy consumption in Bitcoin mining has always been a focus of public and regulatory attention. In 2024, the total electricity consumption of the entire Bitcoin mining industry reached 138 TWh, a figure that cannot be ignored. However, a more comprehensive perspective shows that the energy consumption per unit of work is decreasing significantly, down 24% to 28.2 J/TH in 2024. This indicates that energy efficiency is improving in tandem with hash rate growth.

Scientific research provides a more detailed picture of mining’s environmental impact. A study published in Science Reports in 2025 indicates that Bitcoin mining energy consumption has a positive environmental impact at the lower quantiles but turns negative at the mid-to-high quantiles. This highlights the critical role of energy structure: when mining activities overly depend on fossil fuels, environmental costs rise sharply.

Besides energy, water footprint is another emerging environmental concern. Cooling mining equipment requires water, and power generation itself can consume large amounts of water resources. In some water-scarce regions, this may lead to conflicts. Studies suggest that shifting to cleaner energy sources is vital to reducing Bitcoin’s environmental footprint, but the current pace of transition remains insufficient. This calls for policymakers to accelerate regulation development and promote innovative cooling technologies and solutions.

Market, Regulatory, and Investment Perspectives

Mining industry profitability is closely intertwined with Bitcoin market prices, energy costs, and regulatory environments. For ordinary investors, understanding these dynamics helps grasp market trends.

Current Bitcoin market prices remain the core factor determining miners’ income. In 2025, Bitcoin prices are generally trending upward, with multiple oscillations near key resistance levels and breakthroughs of important price points (e.g., surpassing approximately $126,000 in October, driven partly by ETF capital inflows and market technicals). These price fluctuations directly impact miners’ revenue levels and operational pressures: when prices rise, block rewards and fee income increase; when prices fall or fluctuate, miners’ profit margins are squeezed, potentially leading some high-cost operators to reduce output or temporarily exit the market.

The global distribution of mining is continuously evolving. The United States accounts for about 75% of the reported hash rate, while countries and regions like Paraguay, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, and Bhutan are becoming emerging secondary hubs due to their energy or policy advantages.

Regulatory environment is another key variable in global deployment. For example, Russia plans to strengthen regulation of digital assets and mining activities from 2026, requiring miners to report data to authorities for tax cross-verification. Meanwhile, some regions maintain strict restrictions.

For investors seeking exposure to Bitcoin via Gate, understanding the infrastructure supporting the Bitcoin network—these massive mining farms—and their facing efficiency competition, green transition, and regulatory adaptation can provide deeper market insights. The industrialization of Bitcoin mining is laying a more solid and transparent physical foundation for this digital asset.

Under the hot sun of Texas, engineers are testing immersion cooling systems that are 20 times more efficient than traditional methods to ensure the stable operation of future mega-mining farms. In Northern Europe, cold climates and geothermal energy continue to provide ideal conditions for green mining. The hash rate curve of the global Bitcoin network is still climbing, but the engine driving this curve has changed. The key to the success of next-generation mining farms will no longer be simple machine stacking but will depend on sophisticated energy management, continuous technological challenges, and a wise balance of environmental and social responsibilities. As the hum of mining farms and the operation sounds of renewable energy power plants gradually synchronize, Bitcoin—the financial system born in the virtual world—is carving out a unique path toward a sustainable digital future in the real world.