Bitcoin Mining Stocks Fall Despite Positive SEC Proof-of-Work Guidance

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Market Update: Publicly Traded Bitcoin Miners See Decline Despite SEC’s Clarification on Mining Operations

Shares of some of the top publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies have fallen amid a broader market decline, even after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) clarified on Thursday that mining operations “do not involve the offer and sale of securities.”

Miner Stocks in Free Fall

MARA (MARA), CleanSpark (CLSK), and Bitdeer (BTDR) are among the mining companies showing losses so far Friday, though they’ve all rebounded somewhat since earlier in the morning. Riot Platforms (RIOT), meanwhile, is relatively flat on the day after being down earlier Friday.

Market Performance

As of this writing, MARA and BTDR are both down about 1.5%, while CLSK has fallen by 4.5%. None of them showed a significant bounce after the Commission’s guidance circulated on Thursday afternoon, and they’re currently underperforming relative to leading indices like the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500, which are down 0.03% and 0.4% respectively Friday as of this writing.

Other publicly Traded Crypto Firms Down on the Day

Other major publicly traded crypto firms are also down on the day, with leading American crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) dipping 1.4% and top Bitcoin treasury reserve firm Strategy (MSTR) down 1% so far Friday.

SEC’s Guidance on Consensus Mechanisms

Consensus mechanisms like proof-of-stake (PoS) or proof-of-work (PoW)—the ways in which many major blockchains secure their networks and verify transactions—have drawn the ire of the SEC in the past. For example, in 2022, former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler indicated that proof-of-stake assets like Ethereum or Solana could be considered securities.

Thursday’s guidance, which makes specific mention of the proof-of-work consensus mechanism, didn’t do much for the price of the top mined assets like Bitcoin or Dogecoin either. The coins are down 0.1% and 1.1% in the last 24 hours, respectively.

A Month’s Losses for Publicly Traded Bitcoin Miners

The last day’s slide continues a poor trend for publicly traded Bitcoin miners, who recently reported a loss of more than $23 billion in collective market cap in a month’s span, according to a JP Morgan report.

SEC’s Ongoing Crypto-Related Headlines

The SEC’s latest mining guidance adds to a slew of crypto-positive headlines connected to the Commission, including a handful of dropped investigations and lawsuits, such as those focused on notable companies like Coinbase and Ripple.

Conclusion

The decline of publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies is a significant trend that has been ongoing for some time. Despite the SEC’s clarification on mining operations, the companies continue to struggle, with many experiencing significant losses. It remains to be seen what the future holds for these companies and the broader crypto market.

FAQs

Q: What is the current market trend for publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies?
A: The trend is down, with many companies experiencing significant losses.

Q: What is the SEC’s stance on mining operations?
A: The SEC has clarified that mining operations "do not involve the offer and sale of securities."

Q: How have other publicly traded crypto firms performed on the day?
A: They have also been down, with Coinbase and Strategy experiencing losses.

Q: What is the current market capitalization of publicly traded Bitcoin miners?
A: According to a JP Morgan report, it has fallen by $23 billion in the last month.