The world’s top three manufacturers of bitcoin mining machines — Bitmain, Canaan, and MicroBT — are setting up production bases in the United States as part of a strategic response to President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. These firms, all originally Chinese, dominate over 90% of the global market for mining rigs, specialized computers essential for bitcoin mining.
The move aims to avoid hefty U.S. tariffs imposed amid escalating trade tensions, while potentially easing geopolitical concerns related to China’s influence over critical tech infrastructure. Guang Yang, CTO of Conflux Network, highlighted that the trade war is triggering deep structural changes in bitcoin’s supply chain, pushing U.S. companies toward sourcing hardware from politically acceptable locations.
Bitmain, the largest by sales, began U.S. production in December 2023, shortly after Trump’s re-election. Canaan started trial U.S. production after Trump announced new tariffs on April 2, seeking to shield itself from duties. MicroBT is actively pursuing localization in the U.S. to reduce tariff impacts.
This sector, valued by analysts at around $12 billion by 2028, includes upstream mining rig production, energy-heavy bitcoin mining, IT infrastructure, and trading platforms. U.S. rival Auradine, backed by leading miner MARA Holdings, is lobbying to restrict Chinese equipment imports to boost competition in hardware.
Despite 30% of global bitcoin mining taking place in North America, more than 90% of mining hardware comes from China, creating an imbalance and raising security concerns. Auradine’s Sanjay Gupta warned of risks linked to “hundreds of thousands” of Chinese rigs connected to the U.S. grid. However, Canaan’s Leo Wang dismissed security threats from mining rigs, stating they are ineffective outside bitcoin mining, though he warned Chinese manufacturers could face collateral impacts from U.S. tech restrictions.
Bitmain’s AI arm, Sophgo, was recently blacklisted by the U.S. government over security concerns, illustrating rising scrutiny of Chinese tech firms.
Historically, China dominated bitcoin from hardware through mining and trading until 2021, when Beijing banned cryptocurrency activities citing financial risks. Miners and exchanges moved abroad, but Chinese manufacturers maintained dominance in hardware, leveraging their early lead in designing mining-specific chips.
Canaan has relocated its headquarters to Singapore and established a U.S. pilot production line, with the U.S. contributing 40% of its revenue last year. Wang emphasized the goal of reducing costs amid tariffs by exploring all alternatives.
The U.S. currently imposes a baseline 10% tariff on many imports and an additional 20% on Chinese goods, with potential further tariffs on Southeast Asian countries hosting Chinese assembly plants.
While Trump promotes crypto-friendly policies and has positioned himself as a “crypto president,” China’s dominance in bitcoin infrastructure remains a potential choke point. Legal expert John Deaton warned that China’s control could disrupt bitcoin network stability and impact U.S. users if exports are restricted.
Top U.S.-based miners, including MARA, Core Scientific, CleanSpark, and Riot Platforms, face risks from heavy reliance on Chinese hardware. Economist Ryan Yonk noted this dependence is “potentially problematic” despite Chinese rig makers’ efforts to establish a U.S. presence.
Kadan Stadlemann, CTO at Komodo, said U.S. miners will still buy rigs from China in the short term and face higher costs, but the tariff-driven shift aims to reshape the industry’s supply chain long term.
