Crypto mining in 2025: from theory to practical deployment of your own computing system

Crypto mining remains a relevant business in 2025, but it’s no longer the same as it was when you could profit on a regular PC. Today, success depends on understanding technical aspects, accurately calculating costs, and choosing the right equipment. In this article, we will explore how a modern mining farm is structured, what profits it can generate, and what pitfalls await beginners.

How a modern mining farm is organized

A mining farm is not a single device but a comprehensive system of computing equipment that operates 24/7, performing millions of operations to validate the blockchain. Unlike the early years of the crypto industry, when mining could be done on a personal computer, in 2025 serious hardware is required.

The farm consists of several key elements:

Computing components:

• GPU cards (NVIDIA RTX 3070, RTX 3090, and others) — versatile solutions suitable for mining various crypto assets with algorithms optimized for parallel calculations (KawPow, Etchash). GPU farms are more flexible but consume more electricity.
• ASIC devices (Antminer S21, WhatsMiner M50) — specialized equipment designed exclusively for mining specific cryptocurrencies. ASICs offer higher performance and energy efficiency but are not adaptable to switching algorithms.

Auxiliary infrastructure:

• Motherboard with sufficient PCIe slots for connecting multiple cards
• Powerful power supply (minimum 1200–1500 W for a serious GPU farm)
• Active cooling system — from fans to industrial air conditioners
• Case or industrial rack for convenient placement and air circulation
• Software (HiveOS, PhoenixMiner, specialized miners for ASIC)

This combination of components transforms individual devices into a working system.

Choosing between GPU and ASIC: what’s better for a beginner

This is the most important decision before launching a mining farm. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages.

GPU mining — for those who value flexibility: Allows experimenting with different coins and algorithms. If market conditions change and one crypto becomes less profitable, you can quickly switch to another. Additionally, GPU cards are easier to resell if the business turns out to be unprofitable. The downside is higher electricity costs and lower efficiency per watt.

ASIC — for those willing to take big risks: One Antminer S21 can replace an entire GPU system in terms of production. Power consumption is lower, and payback is faster. But ASICs are tied to a single algorithm — if you change the algorithm, the equipment becomes useless. This is the main risk in long-term mining.

Practical steps to launch: from planning to first reward

Stage 1: defining budget and expectations

First, you need to answer simple questions: how much money are you willing to invest and what results do you expect?

• Minimum start (for training): 1–2 GPU cards, budget 40–60 thousand UAH
• Serious GPU business: 6–8 cards, 150–250 thousand UAH
• Professional segment: one ASIC Antminer S21 costs about 170 thousand UAH
• Turnkey system: from 200–250 thousand UAH and above

But this is only half of the expenses. You will also need to consider: power supplies (5–10 thousand UAH each), cooling (from simple fans to expensive air conditioners), room rental if you’re setting up a serious installation.

Stage 2: selecting and purchasing equipment

When choosing a GPU, pay attention to hash rate (performance) and power consumption. Popular models: RTX 3070 (31 MH/s at 130 W), RTX 3090 (60 MH/s at 250 W). Saving on cheap equipment with poor energy efficiency is a common mistake among beginners, leading to a farm operating “at a loss.”

For ASICs, it’s important to select a model with a good balance of power and cost. Antminer S19 XP (140 TH/s at 3.0 kW) is slightly cheaper than S21 but less productive.

Stage 3: assembling and configuring the system

GPU farms can be assembled independently:

• Install GPUs into motherboard PCIe slots
• Connect power cables from the power supply
• Install the operating system and drivers
• Configure ventilation

ASICs are much simpler — just connect power and Ethernet.

Critical detail: improper cooling leads to overheating, a 10–20% drop in performance, or even equipment failure.

Stage 4: software setup

Steps include:

• Installing mining software (HiveOS allows managing multiple devices from one panel)
• Connecting the farm to a mining pool (F2Pool, AntPool, ViaBTC for ASIC; Ethermine, 2Miners for GPU)
• Adjusting overclocking and undervolting settings to optimize energy consumption

Proper configuration can reduce power usage by 10–20% without sacrificing performance.

Stage 5: monitoring and optimization

After launch, continuous work involves:

• Monitoring GPU temperature (ideally 65–75 °C) and ASIC (up to 80 °C)
• Ensuring stable operation and preventing failures
• Periodically cleaning equipment from dust
• Replacing fans and thermal paste as needed

Profitability analysis: how much a mining farm earns

Profit depends on three factors: performance, energy consumption, and crypto asset price.

Example 1: ASIC Antminer S21

• Power: 200 TH/s
• Power consumption: 3.5 kW
• Daily income (current data): 400–700 UAH
• Daily electricity costs (at 3.6 UAH/kWh): ≈ 302 UAH
• Net earnings: 100–350 UAH/day
• Payback period: 1.5–4.5 years

Example 2: GPU farm with 6 RTX 3070 cards

• Power: 360 MH/s
• Power consumption: 1.2–1.3 kW
• Daily income: 100–150 UAH
• Daily electricity costs: ≈ 104 UAH
• Net earnings: 0–50 UAH/day
• Payback period: 3–5 years

It’s important to understand that these figures change with network difficulty and coin prices. When the market grows, payback time can be halved, but if prices fall, earnings approach zero.

Besides electricity, consider:

• Pool fees (usually 0.5–2 %)
• Maintenance and parts replacement costs
• Cooling costs (if electricity is used for cooling)

Where to place the farm: optimal options

Home mining: Beginners often start at home. Pros: easy control, no rent. Cons: noise (ASICs emit 70+ dB), room overheating, limited electrical capacity (standard home wiring often cannot handle).

Separate premises (garage, basement, storage): Ideal for serious setups. Allows placing multiple ASICs or GPU rigs without disturbing comfort. Requires ventilation, electrical wiring, security. Risk of theft without video surveillance.

Mining hotels: Specialized data centers offer farm placement at electricity rates (3.2–3.6 UAH/kWh) plus 5–10% fee. Convenient but reduces profitability.

Cloud mining: Renting computing power in foreign data centers. Mostly a test option, high risk of scams.

Main risks and challenges

Mining business is profitable but full of pitfalls.

Electricity tariffs: Main expense. At 3.2–3.6 UAH/kWh, one S21 ASIC spends 9–10 thousand UAH per month. Rising tariffs by 0.5 UAH can wipe out all profit.

Equipment wear and tear: Fans last 6–12 months, thermal paste about a year. Ignoring maintenance reduces farm performance.

Crypto market volatility: Bitcoin or altcoin prices can fall, causing even an efficient farm to operate at a loss. This is the main uncontrollable risk.

Legal status in 2025: Ukraine has adopted a virtual assets law, but its application is vague. Mining remains in a “gray zone.” To legitimize income, you’ll need to register as a sole proprietor (FOP).

Energy crises and social factors: During electricity shortages, mining may be banned. There have been cases of disconnection of suspicious facilities due to excessive consumption.

Conclusion: should you launch a mining farm in 2025

A mining farm is a capital-intensive investment with a high entry threshold. Success depends on several factors: equipment choice, electricity costs, market conditions for crypto assets, and legal stability.

For beginners, the minimum initial budget is from 200 thousand UAH with an expected payback period of 1.5–5 years. It’s not a quick business, but potentially profitable if you carefully plan expenses and are prepared for technical nuances.