Chinese Bitcoin miner Bitmain is expanding operations in the United States by launching a local production line.
In a Dec. 9 X post, Bitmain said the move would help it serve North American customers better by reducing delivery times, improving supply chain efficiency, and providing more responsive support.
The company expects to roll out the first batch of the Antminer s21 pro by the end of December.
As its flagship product, the Antminer S21 Pro offers a hash rate of 234 terahashes per second with a power efficiency of 15 joules per terahash. According to Bitmain, the device will be “providing a significant boost” to its industry partner, which includes prominent names like HIVE Digital and Hut 8.
Established in 2013, Bitmain is considered the largest manufacturer of application-specific integrated circuits, reportedly holding a 90% share of the Bitcoin mining hardware market through its Antminer series.
Beyond mining hardware, the company also operates a prominent mining pool, Antpool, which accounts for roughly 20% of the current Bitcoin mining hashrate, according to data from blockchain.com.
The company’s latest move comes as it has faced delays in importing its hardware to the U.S. market. Last month, reports emerged that U.S. Customs and Border Protection had been detaining imports of Bitmain’s Antminers, including the S21 and T21 series.
Speculations at the time suggested the delays were linked to Bitmain’s ties with Chinese semiconductor company Xiamen Sophgo, which produces chips used in some of its machines. However, Bitmain had previously clarified that it was not involved in any supply chain-related investigation.
While the hold did not impact other Chinese miners, Bitmain’s recent move is potentially in response to growing trade tensions between China and the United States. President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to impose additional tariffs on Chinese imports.
Bitmain’s U.S. production expansion also aligns with Trump’s plan to mine all remaining Bitcoin domestically, a move he claims will bolster energy dominance and reduce reliance on foreign operations.
In related news, Bitmain is expanding its line of products and has partnered with Bitcoin miner Hut 8 to develop a new ASIC miner that could generate up to 860 TH/s.