After months of detaining thousands of Chinese-made Bitcoin mining rigs, the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has begun releasing some shipments, according to recent reports.
Thousands of Bitcoin Miners Released
Speaking to Reuters, Synteq Digital CEO Taras Kulyk confirmed that “thousands of units have been released” after as many as 10,000 mining rigs were seized at various U.S. ports. Kulyk suggested that the detentions were a deliberate action by CBP officials who “didn’t like Bitcoin mining” and sought to disrupt the industry.
US-China Trade Tensions and Semiconductor Concerns
The mining rig detentions stem from increasing U.S.-China tensions, particularly in semiconductor technology. Bitmain’s Antminer rigs were caught in regulatory scrutiny after their chip supplier, Sophgo, faced allegations from the U.S. Department of Commerce. In October 2024, officials flagged chips linked to Sophgo inside a Huawei AI processor, triggering concerns due to Huawei’s existing U.S. sanctions.
While Sophgo denied any affiliation with Huawei, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reportedly supported the mining rig seizures, citing potential violations of U.S. regulations by specific Antminer models, including the S21 and T21.
Limited Progress in Release of Miners
Despite the movement, only a small fraction of the detained miners have been cleared. Luxor Technology’s COO, Ethan Vera, confirmed the reports but noted that only a “minority” of shipments had been released.
Authorities reportedly raised concerns over radio frequency emissions from the mining rigs. Additionally, crypto.news reported in February that CBP had extended its detentions to include rigs from other Chinese manufacturers such as MicroBT and Canaan, citing similar compliance issues. However, both Vera and Kulyk dismissed these concerns as unfounded.
Impact of US Trade Policies on Mining Hardware
This development comes as the U.S. government tightens restrictions on Chinese imports. The Trump administration recently imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, further complicating the supply chain for mining hardware manufacturers.
To mitigate these trade hurdles, Bitmain has been expanding its production line in the U.S., seeking to bypass delays caused by regulatory scrutiny and import restrictions.
While the partial release of Bitcoin mining rigs signals progress, regulatory scrutiny and trade tensions continue to cloud the future of Chinese mining hardware in the U.S. Industry stakeholders will closely monitor whether additional shipments are cleared or if further regulatory roadblocks emerge.
