Originally published on: November 25, 2024
The United States Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) has put a halt to the delivery of some Bitmain Antminer ASICs at ports of entry in the US. Reports indicate that several US miners have been waiting for their Chinese mining equipment for up to two months.
According to a recent report by Blockspace Media, seven US Bitcoin mining companies have encountered issues with their shipments, with the latest models of Bitmain Antminer S21 and T21 series ASICs being held at various ports of entry. The CBP, acting on a request from the US Federal Communications Commission Agency, is responsible for the freeze on deliveries.
Some mining companies have reported significant holding fees being charged by the CBP while waiting for their ASICs to be released. Some invoices have exceeded $200,000, causing financial strain on affected companies.
It has been suggested that the delivery freeze may be related to a US Department of Commerce investigation involving Bitmain-related chip designer Sophgo. The investigation was initiated after chips resembling those ordered by Sophgo were found in a Huawei AI processor. Huawei has been under US sanctions since 2019.
Despite the freeze on Bitmain ASICs, products from other Chinese manufacturers are not facing the same delays at US ports of entry. Bitmain, a leading chip supplier for crypto mining, has set up offices in other countries to avoid tariffs and has been accused of dumping and undercutting US chip producers.
Chinese-owned companies have begun mining Bitcoin in the United States after China cracked down on crypto mining in 2021, changing the landscape of the crypto mining industry. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news on crypto laws and regulations.
