Blockchain technology firm Blockstream is making waves as it plans to raise a whopping $50 million for the bulk purchase of ASIC mining equipment acknowledged as undervalued in secondary markets. Highlighting a significant disparity between the current Bitcoin value and ASIC mining equipment, the firm positions itself smartly to exploit this opportunity.
The company plans to partner with the Luxembourg-headquartered digital securities marketplace STOKR to launch the Blockstream ASIC (BASIC) Note. An interesting twist to this strategic plan is that Blockstream expects most of the investments to be made using Bitcoin.
Their actions point to a quite optimistic outlook. The price of ASIC miners, which is used to mine proof-of-work cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, has plummeted to almost a tenth of their peak value around December 2021. With the value of ASIC miners historically tied to price movements of Bitcoin, the future seems promising.
However, a note of caution is needed. Several factors have influenced the stagnant price of mining hardware compared with Bitcoin’s recent price recovery around $30,000. Steep energy prices this year have strained Bitcoin miners’ profitability, resulting in an oversupply of ASIC miners in secondary markets. The funds needed for more hardware are not easy to come by and the capacity to operate this machinery is lacking. Yet, Blockstream seems to have taken these hurdles in stride.
There is a clever strategy on the table. By anticipating a positive price correction for ASIC hardware, Blockstream aims to hoard this equipment in bonded warehouses. The company plans not just to buy the most efficient machines but also consider less efficient ones, banking on the possibility of a Bitcoin bull run. The boosted demand could make these machines a valued asset.
By majorly planning to purchase Bitmain and MicroBT mining equipment, two prevalent pieces of hardware in the market with good resale value, Blockstream’s plans lean towards gaining hefty profits.
Yet, the situation is teetering on the edge of uncertainty, with the next Bitcoin mining reward halving earmarked for April 2024. Will the company’s gamble pay off eventually, or will it add to the previously highlighted difficulties? Only time will tell. The unfolding Blockstream saga indeed keeps us enthralled.
Source: Cointelegraph
