This week, Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) unveiled Proto Rig, a modular Bitcoin mining system designed for durability, and Proto Fleet, a free open-source management platform. The launch marks Block's entry into the competitive ASIC mining market under its Proto division, following its initial Bitcoin mining chip sales, and signals a strategic push to decentralize mining hardware and software. Proto Rig units are already actively mining at Core Scientific's Dalton facility, serving as a live proof-of-concept.
Modular Design Ends the Era of Disposable Miners
Proto Rig replaces the industry-standard disposable hardware model with upgradeable, repairable infrastructure. The air-cooled unit houses nine swappable hashboards, each delivering up to 91 TH/s, for a total of 819 TH/s at an efficiency of 14.1 J/TH. Instead of replacing an entire miner when a component fails, operators can swap individual hashboards in seconds, extending the machine's useful life from the typical 3-5 years to 10 years. Thomas Templeton, Block's Hardware Lead, criticized legacy equipment: “Machines break often, are hard to repair, expensive, and time-consuming to upgrade.” Proto Rig's tool-free, in-place repairs reduce downtime and lower upgrade-cycle costs by 15-20%.
The miner measures 390 mm × 290 mm × 500 mm, weighs about 110 pounds (5.38 lbs per hashboard), and fits standard racks. It draws up to 12,000 watts from 208-240V power sources, with three included 8-foot C20-to-C19 cables. With 1.5× higher power density per rack foot than traditional miners, it maximizes existing facility layouts without costly retrofits. Proto Rig also supports immersion cooling retrofits and backward compatibility with legacy infrastructure. All critical components — control board, power supply units (4,000W each), and fan modules — are serviceable onsite, minimizing operational disruptions.
Open-Source Platform Proto Fleet Unifies Management
Launched concurrently, Proto Fleet consolidates power-scaling, diagnostics, monitoring, and maintenance tools into a single open-source platform. Templeton noted that Bitcoin mining software “hasn’t really caught up with advances in software more broadly,” complicating operations. Proto Fleet eliminates the need for fragmented third-party tools, enabling miners of all sizes to streamline workflows and maximize uptime. Block emphasizes that the software is “free for anyone to use,” democratizing access to advanced management capabilities.
Strategic Push for Mining Decentralization
Block states that both products advance its goal of decentralizing Bitcoin mining. Proto Rig's accessible, repairable design invites broader participation from builders and small-scale miners, while Proto Fleet's open-source model levels the playing field for management tools. The company positions Proto Rig as a long-term infrastructure investment rather than a disposable tool. Unit pricing remains undisclosed, but the live deployment at Core Scientific’s facility provides real-world validation. The mining community will be watching to see if Proto Rig's modular approach can reshape the industry's upgrade cycle and reduce electronic waste.