The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expanding restrictive measures on the import of mining devices.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has intensified the seizure of Bitcoin mining devices, extending the restrictions to MicroBT and Canaan products. The news, reported by Blockspace, marks an escalation compared to previous measures, which had only affected Bitmain devices.
According to documents reviewed by Blockspace, including a $5 million asset seizure notice, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requested the CBP to also confiscate MicroBT and Canaan units. The decision surprised industry experts, considering that Canaan is publicly traded in the U.S. and MicroBT already has a production line on American soil.
Will Foxley, a Blockspace analyst, highlighted that the seizures of Bitmain Antminer S21 and T21 devices began last year due to the presence of AI chips produced by Sophgo, a company subject to trade restrictions. Foxley commented on the recent news:
“The escalation appears to be part of the Trump administration’s strategy to bring back strategic industries related to semiconductors.”
During the Bitcoin Conference 2024, President Donald Trump expressed his support for U.S. miners, stating his intention to incentivize Bitcoin mining in the United States to counter China’s dominance.
The move could have repercussions on the mining sector: North American companies may struggle to expand their mining fleets. In Oklahoma, a 20-megawatt mining operation has 2,000 machines sitting idle, while in New York, Bit Digital Inc. reported that 700 machines were delayed.
