Commodities, labor, and the physical economy

Upstream Data CEO and Founder Steve Barbour joins the pod to talk about the state of bitcoin mining and why he’s not sold on the hybrid AI-bitcoin miner trade.

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Welcome back to The Mining Pod! Today, Steve Barbour, CEO of Upstream Data, joins us for a bitcoin mining palate cleanser! We cover the current state of mining economics, his take on some of the new ASIC models coming to market, oil and gas markets, the infrastructural / operational differences between AI/HPC data centers and mining farms, and why he believes Bitcoin mining is entering a new phase of maturity with sustainable business models.

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**Notes:**

• Mining difficulty at all-time highs

• Energy partnerships crucial for profitability

• Home mining still viable for enthusiasts

• Public miners face market pressure

• Equipment costs down significantly

• Operational efficiency key to survival

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

04:11 Miner sentiment check

07:37 How much more downside?

11:28 ASIC market

14:18 Bitdeer & AISC sales

19:43 Proto ASIC design

23:18 Oil field mining

27:51 Renewables

30:00 Miner retrofit

35:58 NatGas Generators

39:53 Oil prices

41:26 Bits vs atoms

43:44 Lawsuit

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