US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is detaining shipments of Bitmain Antminer ASIC devices at multiple ports of entry, causing significant delays for Bitcoin miners in the United States to receive key mining hardware. These delays have impacted shipments of Bitmain’s latest Antminer S21 and T21 models, which are critical for Bitcoin mining operations.
Some miners have had to wait up to two months for the release of their equipment, and one company has reported paying over $200,000 in holding fees for just 200 units. The delay is due to efforts made by CBP, apparently in response to concerns voiced by the Federal Communications Commission. Speculation suggests that Bitmain’s association with Sophgo, a Chinese chip designer under investigation by the US Department of Commerce for ties to Huawei, a corporation under US sanctions since 2019, is the cause of the detentions, although the exact cause remains unknown.
Unlike Bitmain, other Chinese ASIC makers have not experienced similar delays, raising concerns about the situation’s larger consequences. The delays underline U.S. miners’ reliance on Chinese technology amid continued trade tensions and penalties. As a result, miners are seeking clarity from authorities as they deal with increased costs and unpredictable supply chains.
The stalemate highlights the geopolitical issues confronting the cryptocurrency mining business, as US miners rely on Chinese-manufactured chips to power their operations, even as the US government tightens inspection of foreign technology with national security implications.
