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Bernstein Clarifies the Expenses Incurred by Leading Bitcoin Miners to Extract 1 BTC
Bitcoin miners have encountered a challenging beginning to 2023 following a significant market decline in the prior year. However, as prices have rebounded over the past few months, they have been operating at considerable capacity, as reported by Bernstein.
The latest analysis from the brokerage firm highlights how major miners are positioned to gain considerable advantages from this upward trend.
What is the Status of Miners Ahead of Bitcoin Halving?
The report indicates that the 16 largest publicly traded mining companies accounted for 16% of the total mined BTC. The combined mining capacity of these firms was measured at 72 exahashes per second (EH/s) and is projected to increase by 182% over the next 2-3 years.
Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani noted that larger miners with low production costs and minimal debt are likely to be “the primary beneficiaries of the expansion, with enhanced capacity,” allowing them to withstand potential volatility and cost increases associated with the upcoming Bitcoin halving scheduled for April 2024.
With Bitcoin currently trading around $29,000, 15 of the mentioned Bitcoin miners have production costs estimated to be below $15,000 per BTC, according to Bernstein’s analysis.
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The lead analyst of the report remarked,
“With the upcoming halving, that would double the cost of production, and would push a few miners to break even, assuming no price increase from here.”
Potential Benefits from Bitcoin ETF Approval
On a positive note, the approval of a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) could provide relief for miners. Bernstein’s report suggested that the market might experience “positive momentum” from increased institutional involvement if the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relaxes its stringent position.
In such a scenario, miners would have sufficient “margin room” for the 2024 halving event since “the lower the cost of production, the better the miner positioning for the bitcoin halving impact.”
It is also crucial to highlight that three of the mentioned miners have a debt-to-equity ratio exceeding 1, which diminishes their capacity to withstand declining Bitcoin prices. Four major Bitcoin mining firms – Riot (RIOT), Marathon Digital (MARA), Hut 8 (HUT), and Hive Digital (HIVE) – hold the cryptocurrency in their financial portfolios. This strategic decision enables them to wait for more advantageous prices before selling. Such an approach ultimately results in increased realized profits from the BTC they have mined, according to the report.
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