Bitmain has entered a partnership with mining facility operator Enegix to host Antminer S19 Pro machines at a 180-megawatt data center in Kazakhstan. The site is described as one of the largest mining facilities in the world and is designed to support more than 50,000 current-generation mining rigs.
Large-scale hosting deal in Kazakhstan
According to the announcement, Enegix has focused on designing, building, and operating data centers since 2017. The facility involved in the deal was commissioned in late 2020 and represents the company’s third mining data center. Bitmain Mining Division Vice President Du Shisheng said the company views Enegix as a strong strategic partner in the region, highlighting its track record in the design and operation of large-scale mining sites.
Enegix CEO Yerbolsyn Sarsenov said the company is pleased to provide Bitmain with the remaining capacity of its 180MW facility. He added that the decision by a leading ASIC manufacturer to deploy there is significant for Enegix and reflects confidence in its operations.
Kazakhstan’s mining appeal faces both growth and policy risks
Enegix said it plans to expand further in Kazakhstan as demand from cryptocurrency miners continues to rise. The company is working on designs for additional mining facilities in the country and is also negotiating power purchase agreements to supply future crypto farms.
The development comes as companies tied to crypto mining have been relocating from China amid an extended regulatory crackdown, with Kazakhstan emerging as one of the main destinations. The report notes that in May 2021, Shenzhen-based Bit Mining also announced plans to build a 100MW mining data center in Kazakhstan with two local partners.
A study by the University of Cambridge found that Kazakhstan increased its share of global bitcoin mining by six times in less than two years, making it the world’s third-largest mining hub at the time. However, the country later moved to impose a surcharge on electricity consumed by mining companies, prompting concerns from the local crypto sector that higher energy costs could discourage future investment.