Can you imagine mining Bitcoin with open-source hardware, made in the USA, and durable?
Block, Jack Dorsey's firm, takes that to the next level: meet Proto, the modular ASIC chip, more efficient, and accessible for developers.
Block launched the Proto line, designed to decentralize mining hardware and expand access to more modern chips and rigs.
Key features and strategic partnerships:
• Open-source Bitcoin mining chip manufactured in the USA.
• It features a modular design of 3 nm.
• Block will supply its 3 nm ASICs to Core Scientific, representing a total of approximately 15 EH/s of mining capacity.
• Core Scientific prepaid $21.3 million for equipment that will be delivered in the second half of 2025.
• It uses a modular architecture that allows for quick component changes and updates, reducing downtime and inefficiencies.
• Its design is open-source and developed in the USA, aiming to break the concentration of mining hardware dominated by foreign manufacturers.
What Proto means for mining and the crypto ecosystem:
• More participation for small and medium miners: Proto facilitates entry into more efficient and less centralized infrastructures.
• Energy compatibility: The modular design favors rapid integration with clean energies or proximity to renewable sources.
• Greater network resilience: A greater diversity of hardware means lower risk of bottlenecks or attacks.
• Domestic economic impact: Being "Made in the USA" reinforces supply sovereignty and reduces dependence on global supply chains.
Risks and challenges to watch:
• Real scalability: Increasing collective deployment will depend on the speed of manufacturing and adoption by miners.
• Competition against titans: Manufacturers like Bitmain still dominate installed capacity and could pressure prices.
• Regulation and hydrofuel: Fiscal or environmental policies could affect viability in certain regions.
Proto is not just another mining chip: it is a proposal to democratize crypto hardware, strengthen the network, and foster local innovation.
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