In a recent report, The New York Times has uncovered alleged national security concerns surrounding Chinese-owned Bitcoin (BTC) mining operations on US soil.
The focus is on a crypto-mining facility in Cheyenne, Wyoming, which raised alarm bells due to its proximity to a Microsoft data center supporting the Pentagon and an Air Force base responsible for nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Growing Presence Of Chinese Bitcoin Mines In The US
Per the report, Microsoft’s national security threat assessment team expressed deep concerns about the potential for “full-spectrum intelligence collection operations” that could be carried out by the Chinese company in such a strategic location.
Following Microsoft’s warning, US government officials said anonymously that they had been monitoring the Wyoming mining operation for months.
Measures were taken to mitigate potential intelligence collection, but specifics were not provided. The mining company cooperated with inquiries from the federal investment committee.
This Wyoming case sheds light on a larger trend of Chinese Bitcoin mines increasing across the United States, triggering unease and raising additional security concerns.
Beyond intelligence-gathering worries, these mining operations, consisting of large warehouses or containers packed with specialized computers, exert significant pressure on power grids.
The mining computers run continuously, consuming vast amounts of electricity while “mining” for digital coins, particularly Bitcoin.
Brian Harrell, former assistant secretary for infrastructure protection at the Department of Homeland Security, warned that if these mines w
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Author: Ronaldo Marquez