U.S. Government Accelerates Bitcoin Mining, Tether Supports Decentralized Mining Pools

U.S. Commerce Secretary Announces Accelerated Bitcoin Mining Initiatives

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the U.S. will "accelerate Bitcoin mining" through an "investment accelerator" program supporting miners in building proprietary power infrastructure to reduce reliance on public grids. He mentioned that miners would be allowed to construct power plants and data centers near natural gas fields to enhance energy efficiency. Lutnick also revealed that the Commerce Department is considering incorporating Bitcoin into national economic accounts and emphasized the current administration's strong support for Bitcoin

Arizona Passes Bitcoin Mining Rights Bill HB 2342

Arizona officially passed bill HB 2342, protecting individuals running nodes or mining digital assets from zoning or usage restrictions. The bill passed the Senate with a 17-12 vote and awaits the governor's signature.

Democrats Propose Clean Cloud Act Targeting Data Center Emissions

U.S. Senate Democrats introduced the Clean Cloud Act, proposing fees on data centers supporting blockchain networks and AI models that exceed federal emission targets. The Environmental Protection Agency would set emission standards for data centers and crypto mining facilities with IT nameplate capacities over 100 kW, aiming for an 11% annual reduction in emissions. Excess emissions would incur a $20 per ton CO₂ equivalent fine, increasing by $10 annually with inflation.

U.S. Miners Expedite Equipment Imports Ahead of Tariff Implementation

In response to new U.S. global tariff policies, Bitcoin miners are accelerating imports of mining equipment from China, Malaysia, and Thailand before tariffs take effect. Some large mining companies are chartering flights at costs ranging from $2 million to $3.5 million per trip to avoid tariffs as high as 104%. It's estimated that the U.S. imported over $860 million worth of mining equipment in Q1 2025, with the new policies expected to increase equipment prices by 22% to 36%.

Tether Supports Decentralized Mining via OCEAN Protocol

Tether announced plans to deploy Bitcoin hash power on the OCEAN mining protocol to support decentralized mining infrastructure. This initiative, part of Tether Energy, aims to connect distributed energy resources to the mining network. OCEAN was founded by Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr.

Tether Treasury Mints 1 Billion USDT on Tron Chain.