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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