Cleanspark, a Bitcoin mining company live on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the label CLSK, has reportedly made a notable acquisition, as written in its latest 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The report allegedly states that on August 7, 2024, Cleanspark signed a future sales and purchase contract with Bitmain, a dominant manufacturer of Bitcoin mining hardware.
This collaboration brings about the reported purchase of 26,000 units of Bitmain’s S21 XP immersion-cooled mining machines. This equipment is famous for its noise-cancelled operation with high hashrate performance.
Immersion-Cooled Bitcoin Mining
The S21 XP immersion servers are allegedly able to deliver a total rated hashrate of 7,800,000 terahashes at an entire buying price of $167,700, making $21.5 per terahash, according to Cleanspark’s filing. Immersion-cooled miners like the S21 XP are gaining more traction among mining companies. This recent incarnation is demonstrated by Marathon Digital, which changed its name to MARA, moving from a reported 1.6 exahash per second (EH/s) of hashpower from air-cooled machines to immersion-cooled substitutes.
Immersion cooling comprises dipping the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) mining machines in a non-conductive liquid cooling agent. This process lowers the temperature of the devices more smoothly than conventional air-cooled units, which depend on fans. Consequently, miners like Cleanspark can securely work their hardware round the clock, enhancing the operating frequency more than the factory settings. While this speaks of high performance, it also leads to more power usage.
Performance and Efficiency of Bitmain’s S21 XP
Bitmain’s Antminer S21 XP Immersion goes to a reported hashrate of 300 terahashes per second (TH/s) while using 4,050 watts of power. The noise level of this equipment is around 76 decibels. Along with immersion cooling, the S21 XP Immersion also has four fans. Even though the general market release of the S21 XP Immersion is not anticipated until October 2024, large-scale miners are already signing deals with Bitmain.
Bitmain is also reportedly aiming to release the Antminer S21 XP Hydro, which is poised to deliver an impressive 473 TH/s with an efficiency rating of 12.7 joules per terahash (J/T), according to news sources. Quite competitively, Bitmain’s competitor, Microbt, is making its own hydro-cooled machine, which is alleged to have a hashrate of between 390 and 450 TH/s.
This step makes the competition more intense in the mining hardware market, coercing companies to constantly innovate and do better. As both leading names in the industry go beyond the boundaries of ‘possibilities’, the outcomes in hydro-cooling and energy efficiency are probable to redesign the coming years of cryptocurrency mining.
The Future of Bitcoin Mining Hardware
The acquisition of Bitmain’s S21 XP immersion-cooled mining machines brings Cleanspark to the front line of the Bitcoin mining industry’s inclination toward more efficient and robust hardware. As the company goes on to invest in futuristic mining technology, it demonstrates the increasing trend of using immersion-cooled mining rigs for augmented performance and lowered noise levels. With competitors like Microbt also diving into the hydro-cooled mining arena, the ecosystem of Bitcoin mining hardware stands at the brink of disruptive evolution, as reported by the sources.
To conclude, Cleanspark’s strategic acquisition of Bitmain’s S21 XP immersion-cooled mining machines shows the changing landscape of Bitcoin mining. By using new immersion cooling technology, Cleanspark is increasing its operational efficiency and hashrate performance, keeping it at the lead in the tough mining sector. The enhanced adoption of immersion cooling, as evident with Marathon Digital and soon by Microbt, heralds a shift towards more eco-friendly and efficient mining practices.
