Tether’s decision to open-source its mining operating system aims to standardize firmware across the industry while reducing reliance on Chinese manufacturers. The move follows increased US scrutiny of Bitmain’s market dominance. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated the OS optimizes energy efficiency for North American mining conditions.
The initiative could lower entry barriers for new miners by providing free, auditable software. Security researchers praise the transparency move amid concerns about firmware backdoors. However, some miners remain skeptical about performance compared to proprietary systems.
This aligns with Tether’s vertical integration strategy following $1.5B in mining infrastructure investments. The OS release coincides with new US tax credits for domestic mining operations using renewable energy. Analysts see this as part of a broader push to decentralize Bitcoin’s hash rate.
