Key Takeaways
- U.S. Customs detains Bitmain Antminer shipments for 2+ months.
- Investigation focuses on Chinese Sophgo chips tied to Huawei.
- U.S. miners face $200,000+ holding fees amid delayed imports.
The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has detained shipments of Bitmain’s Antminer Bitcoin mining machines, responding to requests from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
These actions have caused significant delays for Bitcoin mining firms, with holding fees surpassing $200,000 for some companies.
Detained models
The detentions reportedly involve the S21 and T21 Antminer models, with seven firms confirming disruptions.
Key ports, particularly in San Francisco and Detroit, have seen shipments labeled as “high-risk cargo” by the Advanced Targeting Unit (ATU).
Sophgo chips
At the heart of the issue is the scrutiny of components from Xiamen Sophgo, a Chinese semiconductor company under investigation for links to sanctioned tech giant Huawei.
Some Antminer units may include Sophgo’s CV1835 chips, raising red flags. Sophgo’s connection to Bitmain deepens suspicions, as its CEO, Micree Zhan, also co-founded Bitmain.
Delays and speculation
Legal experts describe the delays as “extremely rare” for CBP, with some shipments held for over two months.
Despite this, similar actions have not targeted other Chinese Bitcoin mining hardware makers like MicroBT or Canaan, fueling speculation about specific focus on Bitmain.
FCC and CBP
The FCC denied involvement, and CBP has yet to issue a public statement.
U.S. mining companies face escalating costs and operational challenges while awaiting clarity.
