CoinDesk Podcast Network

The Blockspace Pod: Our Top Stories From 2025

Dec 23, 2025
Explore the wildest Bitcoin stories from 2025, including a dramatic ICE raid on a Texas mine and the end of Operation Chokepoint 2.0, reshaping crypto banking. Discover how miners adapted to AI workloads amidst panic over Trump’s tariffs and soaring ASIC imports. Dive into the mystery of the $8 billion OG whale sale and the amusing saga of a Bitcoin Puppets-branded race car. This is a rollercoaster of thrilling narratives that speak volumes about the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency.
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ANECDOTE

Dramatic ICE Raid At Texas Bitcoin Mine

  • ICE raided a 30MW Lone Star Dream Bitcoin mine in Texas and removed Chinese nationals for immigration issues.
  • Authorities arrived with helicopters, snipers and multiple federal agencies, per Charlie Spears.
ANECDOTE

Bitmain Affiliate Repair Hub Implicated

  • A Bitmain-affiliated repair shop, ADW, operated as a regional hub for fixing miners at the Texas site.
  • Charlie Spears confirmed Chinese nationals worked there without proper visas, triggering the raid.
INSIGHT

Repair Shops' Hidden Labor Risks

  • Some repair facilities used undocumented labor and kept visas from workers, creating quasi-indentured conditions.
  • Colin Harper links these abuses to broader immigration enforcement gaps and employer accountability.
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