Author: CoinDesk

In a packed week for bitcoin mining news, MARA has dismissed its CTO, BlackRock cooks up a $40 billion data center firm acquisition, and Bitdeer unveils its $2 billion AI ambitions.

Click Here To Join the BitAxe Giveaway!

Welcome back to The Mining Pod! This week, Luxor CEO Nick Hansen joins us to talk multi-month hashprice lows (how low do we go?), MARA firing its CTO, Ionic Digital’s Microsoft-linked AI deal, Bitdeer’s gangbusters September and $2B AI plans, and BlackRock taking the lead on a $40B data center company acquisition. Plus, the US government seizes $14.1B (potentially $16.5B total) in bitcoin from an international scam operation.

**Notes:**

• Hash price dropped below $50/PH/day at $47

• Difficulty adjustment down 2.5% after months of increases

• Bitcoin price fell from $125K to $108K post-tariff news

• Marathon quietly cans CTO 

• Bitdeer mined 452 BTC in Sept, up 20.5% month-over-month

• Bitdeer projects $2B annual revenue from AI starting in 2026

• BlackRock leads $40B Aligned Data Centers acquisition

• US seized $14.1B+ Bitcoin from crime syndicate

• PJM needs 43GW battery storage by 2045

• Ionic Digital secured 240MW Microsoft lease, expandable to 1.2GW

Timestamps:

00:00:00:00 Start

00:01:51:00 Difficulty Report by Luxor

00:11:28:10 MARA CTO fired

00:15:40:17 Ionic Digital gets into the AI action

00:18:16:13 PJM needs 43 GW of battery by 2045

00:23:22:16 Bitdeer’s big September

00:27:56:23 BlackRock & Nvidia deal

00:35:03:28 Cry Corner: Uncle Sam gets that bag

👉CleanSpark, America's Bitcoin Miner!

CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK), America's Bitcoin Miner®, is a market-leading Bitcoin miner with a proven track record of success. They own a fully self-operated portfolio of mining facilities across the U.S. powered by globally competitive energy prices. CleanSpark sits at the intersection of Bitcoin, energy, operational excellence and capital stewardship. Optimally monetizing low-cost, high reliability electricity positions them to prosper in an ever-changing world.

👉 FBOX, Cooling for Bitcoin Mining and the AI Data Center Transformation

FBOX is the global leader in cooling system manufacturing, with the #1 shipment volume of bitcoin mining containers worldwide. Not only powering for the strongest hashrate, their technology also helps mining infrastructure transform into AI data centers. Backed by the largest production scale on earth, global deployment capability, and a full range of cooling solutions, they are shaping the future of compute.

👉 Luxor, Leaders In Bitcoin Mining and Compute Power!

Get game-changing mining results with Luxor Firmware. Boost hashrate, cut energy costs, protect your hardware, and maximize mining profits with LuxOS.

Published twice weekly, "The Mining Pod" interviews the best builders and operators in the Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining landscape. Subscribe to get notifications when we publish interviews on Tuesday and a news show on Friday!

Paxos mistakenly minted $300 trillion of PYUSD on Ethereum.

Stablecoin issuer Paxos accidentally minted $300 trillion worth of PayPal's PYUSD stablecoin, far exceeding the total U.S. dollar supply. Paxos emphasized that it was not a security breach but the incident raised concerns about how an enormous amount of stablecoin could be created without requisite collateral. CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie hosts "CoinDesk Daily."

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-

OwlTing (Nasdaq: OWLS) is building invisible rails for global payments. With OwlPay, businesses and users can bridge fiat and stablecoins, send money instantly across borders, and access stablecoin checkout at lower costs. Licensed worldwide, OwlTing delivers secure, compliant, and regulated infrastructure for the digital economy. Learn more at owlting.com.

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Jennifer Sanasie and edited by Victor Chen.

The DOJ seized $14B worth of BTC in a crackdown against Cambodia-based Prince Group.

U.S. authorities struck the Cambodia-based firm Prince Group as an operator of forced-labor global scam operations. The DOJ took what it said was its largest-ever crypto seizure of 127,271 bitcoin, worth about $14 billion at current value. CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie hosts "CoinDesk Daily."

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Jennifer Sanasie and edited by Victor Chen.

Pio Vincenco says MicroStrategy could hit $10T, Bitcoin miners are repositioning for AI, and explains why the four-year cycle is dead. Plus: why selling Bitcoin now is a massive mistake and crypto Twitter must always lose.

Pio Vincenzo joins us to talk about why MicroStrategy could become a $10 trillion company, how Bitcoin miners like Riot and Cipher are pivoting to AI infrastructure, and why the traditional four-year Bitcoin cycle is officially dead. Pierre breaks down the Bitcoin treasury company trend, explains why time is on Bitcoin's side, and shares his controversial take on why crypto Twitter must always lose.

Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com

Notes:

• MicroStrategy owns 600K+ Bitcoin, no corp will catch up

• Money printing at $100-175B monthly, historically high

• 40% of money supply printed during Covid period

• Bitcoin miners repositioning for AI hyperscaler deals

• Bitcoin ETFs launched during Biden presidency

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

01:41 New wave of crypto content creators?

03:55 Bitcoin not crypto trend

05:45 Trump "insider" rumors

09:47 MSTR bull case

15:06 One DAT to Rule Them All?

18:46 BTC miners, WTF?

22:30 IREN & Cypher

27:42 Prediction markets

30:34 4 years cycle go bye bye?

-

👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech!

Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here.

Questions or want to sponsor? hello@blockspace.media

What's driving the markets with Alice Liu, CoinMarketCap's Head of Research.

In today's Market Outlook, CoinMarketCap's Head of Research, Alice Liu, joins CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie to break down the global catalysts driving BTC back to $111K. Plus, they discuss the three biggest market drivers, including a whale warning and the critical impact of Jerome Powell's speech on interest rates and the economy.

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.

CleanSpark VP Rory Murray joins us to discuss bitcoin mining stocks, the macro economic environment, and bitcoin’s 4 year cycle theory.

Click Here To Join the BitAxe Giveaway!

Welcome back to The Mining Pod! Today, Rory Murray, VP of digital asset management at CleanSpark, joins us to talk about the explosive markets we're seeing in late 2024, why he believes Bitcoin's four-year cycle is dead, and the secular trends that will define the next chapter of crypto. We dive deep into the debasement trade, record bitcoin ETF inflows, the intersection of macro and Bitcoin mining stocks, and what keeps a veteran trader up at night. Also, Rory shares his framework for navigating animal spirits and how they relate to Bitcoin's long-term trajectory.

**Notes:**

- SPX up 30 basis points daily since April

- Largest ever crypto ETF inflow week

- Q3 earnings 3x higher than analyst forecasts

- Four-year Bitcoin cycle thesis challenged

- Record institutional Bitcoin adoption

- CleanSpark operates across 4+ US states

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

02:24 Rory title upgrade

04:48 Traders

06:02 Good trading desks?

08:00 Where's the alpha?

13:01 Mining stock data sources

14:00 Stock & BTC ripping higher?

24:53 Debasement trade

28:09 Gold is back baby!

28:48 Monetary flows

31:55 Worries

👉CleanSpark, America's Bitcoin Miner!

CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK), America's Bitcoin Miner®, is a market-leading Bitcoin miner with a proven track record of success. They own a fully self-operated portfolio of mining facilities across the U.S. powered by globally competitive energy prices. CleanSpark sits at the intersection of Bitcoin, energy, operational excellence and capital stewardship. Optimally monetizing low-cost, high reliability electricity positions them to prosper in an ever-changing world.

👉 FBOX, Cooling for Bitcoin Mining and the AI Data Center Transformation

FBOX is the global leader in cooling system manufacturing, with the #1 shipment volume of bitcoin mining containers worldwide. Not only powering for the strongest hashrate, their technology also helps mining infrastructure transform into AI data centers. Backed by the largest production scale on earth, global deployment capability, and a full range of cooling solutions, they are shaping the future of compute.

👉 Luxor, Leaders In Bitcoin Mining and Compute Power!

Get game-changing mining results with Luxor Firmware. Boost hashrate, cut energy costs, protect your hardware, and maximize mining profits with LuxOS.

Published twice weekly, "The Mining Pod" interviews the best builders and operators in the Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining landscape. Subscribe to get notifications when we publish interviews on Tuesday and a news show on Friday!

Will Weinraub, CEO and Co-Founder of OnChain Studios, is redefining play by merging toys, gaming, and blockchain to create immersive, collectible experiences with iconic brands like Disney and Star Wars.

In this episode of Gen C, Will Weinraub, CEO and Co-Founder of OnChain Studios and creator of Cryptoys, shares how his daughter’s passion for toys inspired him to build digital collectibles on the blockchain. Weinraub explores the declining traditional toy industry, the rise of digital play through Fortnite and Roblox, and why he believes blockchain-based digital ownership represents the future of how people of all ages will collect and interact with their favorite characters.

Links mentioned from the podcast: 

• Will's Twitter
• OnChain Studios Twitter
• Cryptoys Website

Follow us on Twitter: 

• Sam Ewen, CoinDesk

From our sponsors:

• Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

• Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more. Visit https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0.

-

"Gen C" features host Sam Ewen. Executive produced by Uyen Truong.

At North American Blockchain Summit in Dallas, where 30% of Bitcoin's hashrate is decided, nobody talks about Core v30. Miners care about steel, electrons, and profit—not technical debates. The disconnect between Bitcoin Twitter and real mining is massive.

We're reporting live from the North American Blockchain Summit in Dallas, Texas, where roughly 30% of the world's Bitcoin hashrate is decided. The shocking reality? Bitcoin miners don't care about Core v30 or technical debates. They care about electrons, steel, aluminum, and profit. We break down how Foundry became the largest pool with 0% fees, why miners prefer FPPS revenue certainty over block variance, and the massive disconnect between Bitcoin's technical community and the mining industry.

Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com

Notes:

• Foundry controls ~30% of Bitcoin's hashrate

• Mining pools dropped fees from 2% to near 0%

• FPPS model is “addicting” for miners

• Texas becoming finance capital with new exchange

• Most miners don't know their pool's Core version

• Future fee markets could disrupt pool dominance

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

00:28 NABS vibes

01:41 Miners don't care about Core V30

03:48 Miners care about profitability

04:44 Pools

08:59 Predictable revenue

13:10 Miner incentives

-

👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech!

Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here.

Questions or want to sponsor? hello@blockspace.media

Inside the leaked Senate document outlining plans for DeFi regulation.

A leaked Senate document outlines a major plan to regulate DeFi, forcing front-end service providers to register as brokers; BNB is down 2.5%, continuing its slide from its new all time high earlier this week and Metaplanet halts the sale of common stock. CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie hosts "CoinDesk Daily."

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Jennifer Sanasie and edited by Victor Chen.

Unpacking retail sentiment on crypto with Stocktwits Head of Markets and Retail Investor Insights, Tom Bruni.

Bitcoin recently hit a new high, but the market's momentum hasn't trickled down to Ethereum, Solana, and other altcoins, leaving retail traders frustrated and their capital flowing elsewhere. In today's Markets Outlook, CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie sits down with Tom Bruni, Head of Markets & Retail Investor Insights at Stocktwits, to dive deep into social sentiment data and what retail investors are actually watching right now, from the "debasement trade" in gold and silver to high-flying AI stocks.

-

Break the cycle of exploitation.

Break down the barriers to truth.

Break into the next generation of privacy.

Break Free.

Free to scroll without being monetized.

Free from censorship.

Freedom without fear.

We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design.

Break free with Midnight, visit midnight.network/break-free

-

Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more.

URL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-

This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.