Crypto Mining — Can You Still Make Money from It?

The landscape of cryptocurrency mining in March 2026 represents a stark departure from the hobbyist origins of the early 2010s. What began as a decentralized experiment in peer-to-peer electronic cash has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industrial sector that sits at the intersection of high-performance semiconductor physics, global energy policy, and escalating geopolitical conflict. As the world navigates the economic tremors caused by the war in Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the fundamental question for the individual—whether mining remains a viable path to financial sovereignty—requires an exhaustive examination of both mechanical foundations and the harsh realities of the contemporary energy market.1

The first principle of cryptocurrency mining is the conversion of energy into mathematical certainty. To an educated non-technical audience, the process may appear as a black box of “solving puzzles,” but the underlying reality is a sophisticated consensus mechanism designed to secure a ledger without a central authority.2 This mechanism, known as Proof of Work (PoW), relies on a series of cryptographic hurdles that ensure the historical integrity of the blockchain.2 In outline: miners use hash functions—for Bitcoin, SHA-256—to fingerprint data; they organize transactions into a Merkle tree whose Merkle root is a compact seal on the whole block, so any tampering changes the root.23 Mining itself is a brute-force search: the network sets a difficulty target, and miners vary a nonce in the block header until the hash falls below that threshold—a global lottery played at quadrillions of guesses per second in 2026.435 Winning a block is probabilistic (governed by something like a Poisson process): the next hash has the same tiny chance of success no matter how long you have mined, so success scales with cumulative hashrate, not time.62 The payoff is twofold: block subsidy (3.125 BTC after the 2024 halving) plus transaction fees; as hashrate rises, fees and Layer 2 activity can represent a large fraction of income, and the system is slowly shifting from subsidy-heavy to fee-heavy economics.7 What follows unpacks each layer of that machinery in more detail.

The Alchemy of Hashing and the Merkle Root

At the center of this process is the “hash function,” a mathematical algorithm that acts as a digital wax seal.2 In the Bitcoin protocol, which utilizes the SHA-256 algorithm, any input of data—regardless of its size—produces a unique 256-bit number known as a hash.4 This function is deterministic, meaning the same input will always produce the same output, but it is also “one-way,” making it computationally impossible to work backward from a hash to the original data.8

Miners do not simply hash individual transactions; they organize them into a hierarchical structure called a Merkle Tree.2 By hashing pairs of transactions and then hashing the resulting hashes together, they eventually arrive at a single value known as the Merkle Root.2 This root serves as a compact summary of all transactions within a block. If a single bit of a single transaction were altered, the Merkle Root would change entirely, alerting the network to a tampering attempt.3 This structural integrity is what allows the blockchain to be both public and immutable.

The Nonce and the Lottery of Winning a Block

The act of “mining” is essentially a brute-force search for a specific hash value. The network sets a “difficulty target,” which is a numerical threshold that a valid block’s hash must fall below.4 Because the Merkle Root and the block header are fixed, miners introduce a variable called the “nonce”—a “number used once”.2

The process is analogous to a global lottery where the equipment is a high-speed ticket generator. A miner takes the block header, adds a nonce (starting at zero), and hashes the package. If the resulting number is higher than the target, the miner increments the nonce by one and tries again.3 In 2026, with the network difficulty at historic highs, miners are performing quadrillions of these attempts every second.5 The first miner to find the “Golden Nonce”—the ticket that produces a hash lower than the target—wins the right to broadcast the block to the network and claim the associated rewards.3

Winning a Block: Probability and the Reward Structure

Winning a block is a probabilistic event governed by the Poisson distribution. No matter how many hashes a miner has performed, the next hash has the same tiny probability of success as the first.6 This ensures that “winning” is a matter of cumulative computational power (hashrate) rather than time spent mining.2

When a block is successfully mined, the winner receives a twofold reward: the block subsidy and transaction fees.2 As of March 2026, following the 2024 halving, the Bitcoin block subsidy stands at 3.125 BTC.7 However, a significant shift has occurred in the revenue structure. With the network hashrate climbing to 1.25 ZH/s, transaction fees and Layer 2 settlement actions have become vital revenue streams, sometimes accounting for over 15-20% of a miner’s total income.7 This transition from a subsidy-based economy to a fee-based economy is a critical evolution for the long-term sustainability of the network as rewards continue to halve every four years.7

The Evolution of Hardware: From Silicon Generalists to Industrial Specialists

The hardware used to generate these hashes has undergone a rapid Darwinian evolution, moving from the versatile but inefficient brains of standard computers to specialized silicon designed for a single purpose.9

The Chronology of Hashing Efficiency

The history of mining hardware is categorized into four primary eras, each defined by an order-of-magnitude increase in efficiency.10

Hardware GenerationArchitectureComparative Efficiency (2026 Context)Status
CPUGeneral-purpose logicNegligible for BTC; Prime for Monero/VerusConsumer-grade
GPUParallel graphics processingInefficient for SHA-256; Versatile for Altcoins/AIEnthusiast-grade
FPGAReprogrammable logicNiche application; Algorithm-agileSpecialist-grade
ASICFixed-logic circuitMaximum efficiency for specific algorithmsIndustrial-grade

Early miners utilized the Central Processing Unit (CPU) of their home PCs. While capable of performing the math, a CPU is a “jack-of-all-trades” designed for complex branch prediction and varied instruction sets.10 Much of its silicon is “wasted” on features unnecessary for the repetitive loops of SHA-256 hashing.9

The industry quickly moved to Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), which contain thousands of simpler cores designed for parallel tasks.10 By 2026, GPUs remain relevant not for Bitcoin, but for “memory-bound” algorithms like Ethash (Ethereum Classic) and for the burgeoning “DePIN” (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure) market, where miners pivot their hardware to provide AI compute power when mining is less profitable.7

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) followed, offering a middle ground where the chip’s internal wiring can be “reprogrammed” to follow new algorithms.10 However, the ultimate winner in the efficiency race is the Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). An ASIC is designed at the transistor level to do one thing only: calculate hashes for a specific algorithm.9 Because every gate on the chip is dedicated to hashing, they offer a joules-per-terahash (J/TH) rating that no other hardware can touch.9

The Rebellion of the CPU: Monero, Verus, and ASIC Resistance

In an effort to preserve the original “one CPU, one vote” egalitarian vision of Satoshi Nakamoto, several prominent projects have developed algorithms that are “ASIC-resistant”.11 These projects, most notably Monero (XMR) and Verus (VRSC), aim to keep mining decentralized by ensuring that standard consumer processors remain the most efficient way to secure the network.

Monero and the RandomX Memory Bottleneck

Monero transitioned to the RandomX algorithm in late 2019.12 RandomX is uniquely designed to turn the strengths of a general-purpose CPU into a bottleneck for an ASIC.11 The technical trick lies in its “memory-hard” requirements and the use of a virtual machine that executes random code.13

Specifically, RandomX requires 2 MB of L3 cache per mining thread.14 Most modern CPUs have a limited amount of L3 cache relative to their core count. For example, a processor with 32 MB of L3 cache can efficiently run only 16 mining threads.15 If a miner attempts to run more threads, the system must constantly access the much slower system RAM, causing the hashrate to collapse.15

Furthermore, RandomX is highly sensitive to memory latency.14 While an ASIC can be built with massive amounts of simple hashing logic, building an ASIC with massive amounts of high-speed L3 cache and a complex memory controller effectively means building a general-purpose CPU, which negates the cost and efficiency advantages of the ASIC design.11

VerusHash 2.2 and Hardware Parity

Verus (VRSC) takes a different approach with its VerusHash 2.2 algorithm.16 VerusHash is designed to provide “hardware parity,” meaning it allows CPUs and GPUs to compete on an economically comparable level.17

The algorithm uses the Haraka512 V2 compression algorithm at its core, which is optimized for the internal AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) instructions found in modern Intel, AMD, and ARM processors.16 Most importantly, VerusHash incorporates complex non-linear FP64 (64-bit floating-point) calculations.18

By design, VerusHash ensures that any attempt to build a specialized ASIC for the network would require a silicon footprint and power consumption levels approaching those of a general-purpose GPU, thereby protecting the network from the centralization seen in Bitcoin.17

Silicon Comparison: Intel/AMD x86 vs. Apple M-Series

In the March 2026 mining landscape, the transition from traditional x86 architecture to Apple’s custom-designed M-series “Silicon” has introduced a significant divide in mining performance and efficiency.19

AVX-512 vs. NEON: The Battle of Instruction Sets

For Verus mining, the performance of a processor is largely determined by its SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) capabilities.20 SIMD allows a processor to perform the same mathematical operation on multiple pieces of data simultaneously, which is ideal for the repetitive nature of hashing.21

Intel and AMD chips utilize the AVX-512 instruction set.21 While AVX-512 offers massive theoretical throughput, it is notoriously power-hungry.21 In many implementations, particularly earlier generations, the processor must significantly “downclock” or reduce its speed when executing these instructions to prevent overheating.21

Apple’s M-series chips (M1, M2, M3, and the latest M4) utilize the ARM NEON instruction set.22 While NEON is generally narrower than AVX-512, Apple’s Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) and N3E (3-nanometer) manufacturing process allow it to run these operations with far greater energy efficiency.19 In a March 2026 environment defined by surging electricity costs, this efficiency is the primary metric of success.19

2026 Benchmarks: Verus Mining Hashrates

The following table compares the performance of flagship 2026 processors in the context of Verus mining.23

ProcessorArchitectureHashrate (VRSC)Max TDPPower Consumption (24h)
Intel i9-14900KSx86 (AVX-512)18.5 MH/s150 W3.6 kWh
AMD Ryzen 9 7950Xx86 (AVX-512)26.2 MH/s170 W4.1 kWh
Apple M3 MaxARM (NEON)16.8 MH/s78 W1.8 kWh
Apple M4 (10-Core)ARM (NEON)11.4 MH/s22 W0.5 kWh
Orange Pi 5 (ARM)ARM (NEON)7.0 MH/s8.5 W0.2 kWh

The data indicates that while the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X produces the highest raw hashrate, it consumes over eight times the power of the Apple M4.24 For the residential miner in New York City, where power is expensive, the M4’s efficiency (0.52 MH/W) represents a far more sustainable model than the “brute force” approach of the x86 desktop.25

Part 2: The Economic and Social Ecosystem of 2026

Having established the “how” of mining above, Part 2 addresses the “where” and “why” in a world of limited resources and high-stakes competition. By March 2026, mining is no longer a solitary activity but a collaborative and highly socialized endeavor.4

The Necessity of Mining Pools and the “Gambling” Factor

For the individual miner, solo mining has become a form of high-stakes gambling with astronomical odds against success.4 In the early days, a single home computer could find a block within days; in 2026, a single machine might mine for decades without ever finding a valid nonce that meets the network’s difficulty target.4

To mitigate this, the vast majority of miners join “mining pools”.4 A pool combines the hashrate of thousands of individual machines into a single entity. When the pool successfully mines a block, the reward is distributed to all members proportionally to the amount of hashing power they contributed.8

Merged Mining: The Double-Reward Strategy

Merged mining, or Auxiliary Proof of Work (AuxPoW), has emerged as a crucial strategy for maximizing profitability in the low-margin environment of 2026.28 This technique allows a miner to use the same computational work to secure multiple blockchains simultaneously.28

The mechanics of AuxPoW rely on the “Parent-Child” chain relationship. The most common pairing is Litecoin (LTC) as the parent and Dogecoin (DOGE) as the auxiliary chain.28 Both utilize the Scrypt algorithm. When a miner submits a hash to the Litecoin pool, the pool also checks that hash against the Dogecoin network’s difficulty.29 If the hash is “good enough” for Dogecoin, the miner receives DOGE rewards in addition to their LTC earnings.28

Benefit of Merged MiningImpact on Miner
No Extra EnergyTotal rewards increase without adding a single cent to the electricity bill.28
Increased SecurityAuxiliary chains gain the protection of a much larger parent network, making 51% attacks prohibitively expensive.30
Revenue DiversificationMiners earn multiple currencies, providing a hedge against the price volatility of a single asset.31

As of 2026, over 70% of Dogecoin’s hashrate is derived from merge mining with Litecoin, illustrating the symbiotic relationship that has stabilized both networks.29

Environmental and Social Impact: The Global Warming Debate

The debate over mining’s environmental footprint has reached a fever pitch in 2026, driven by rising global temperatures and the energy demands of AI data centers.1

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Energy Mix

Critics argue that PoW mining is a “wasteful” process that converts electricity into heat and arbitrary numbers.32 As of 2025, the Bitcoin network consumed approximately 138 TWh annually—roughly 0.5% of global electricity—resulting in 39.8 Mt of CO2 emissions.33

However, the 2026 reality is more nuanced. Proponents argue that mining is the only industry capable of acting as a “Global Grid Balancing Valve”.7 Because mining rigs can be turned off instantly, they provide a flexible load that can absorb surplus renewable energy during periods of high generation and low demand.34 In Texas and parts of Canada, miners are now co-locating with wind and solar farms, consuming “curtailed” energy that would otherwise be grounded.34 This “behind-the-meter” mining reduces costs for both the miner and the grid operator.35

Flared Gas and Waste Recovery

A major social and environmental win for the industry has been the adoption of “flared gas mining”.34 In oil extraction, methane is often burned off (flared) because it is too expensive to transport to market. By placing mobile ASIC containers at these remote sites, miners can convert this wasted methane into electricity.34 This process not only powers the network but also reduces the direct release of methane—a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than CO2—into the atmosphere.34

Electronic Waste and Noise Pollution

The dark side of the industry remains the e-waste produced by rapidly obsolescing hardware. In 2021, a study estimated that Bitcoin produced 30,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, with the average ASIC becoming unprofitable in just over a year.33 While this has improved by 2026 as hardware cycles have lengthened to 4-5 years, the specialized nature of ASICs means they cannot be easily repurposed for other computing tasks once they fall behind the network’s difficulty curve.9

For the urban resident, “noise pollution” is the most immediate social impact. High-performance ASICs, such as the Antminer S23, utilize high-speed fans that produce constant noise levels of 75 to 80 decibels.36 This level of noise is not only a nuisance to neighbors but can lead to long-term hearing issues for the operator if not properly attenuated.33

Profitability Analysis: New York, NY (March 2026)

Mining in New York City in early 2026 is an exercise in extreme economic navigation. The region’s energy market has been shattered by the “War on Iran,” which began in February 2026.1

The Geopolitical Energy Shock

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz on March 4, 2026, halted one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply.1 While the United States has significant domestic production, the connectivity of global energy markets has caused local utility rates to skyrocket.1 In New York, the average residential electricity rate has surged to approximately 0.36 USD per kWh—a 28% increase since the start of the conflict.37

Energy MetricNew York City (March 2026)Impact on Mining
Residential Electricity0.36 USD / kWhDrastic increase in operational overhead.37
Gasoline (Regular)4.20 USD / gallonIncreased cost of hardware logistics.38
Diesel5.13 USD / gallonSurge in industrial delivery surcharges.37
Natural Gas (Home)doubledIndirect impact on grid-level generation costs.1

Hardware Face-Off: Industrial ASICs vs. Residential Budget Options

To determine viability, we must compare the “Gold Standard” of industrial mining against the “Low-Entry” consumer options in the context of NYC’s punishing energy rates.

Option A: Professional Antminer S23 Hydro

The Antminer S23 Hydro is the flagship of the 2026 fleet, boasting a massive hashrate and industry-leading efficiency.39

In NYC, even the most efficient ASIC in existence is currently a “liability” rather than an asset for a residential user. These machines only remain profitable for large-scale farms with access to electricity priced below 0.08 USD/kWh.42

Option B: Budget CPU Mining (Apple M4 Mac Mini)

The M4 Mac Mini represents the high-efficiency approach for a home user mining Verus.19

While the dollar amounts are humble, the M4 is “economically viable” where the Antminer is not. This highlights the shift toward “efficiency mining” for individuals in the current energy climate.7

The Viability of Plugin Solar and Home Setup Issues

To offset these high energy costs, many residents are exploring “plugin” or “balcony” solar panels. In early 2026, this technology has seen a legislative breakthrough in several US states, including New York.45

Balcony Solar: The “Toaster Oven” Legislation

In 2026, several states introduced laws to reclassify small solar systems (typically under 1.2 kW) as “household appliances” rather than electrical power plants.46 Under the new UL 3700 safety standard, these kits can be hung on a balcony railing and plugged directly into a standard 120V wall outlet.47

The “Solar Gap”: A standard 800 W balcony kit (costing roughly 1,200 USD) will produce between 3 and 5 kWh of electricity per day in New York.45

Practical Home Setup: Noise, Heat, and Venting

Beyond the energy math, the physical reality of running high-powered mining hardware in a home environment involves significant logistical hurdles.

  1. Acoustic Management: A standard air-cooled Antminer produces 75-80 dB of noise.36 This is the equivalent of a loud hair dryer running non-stop. For home users, this often necessitates building sound-deadening “shroud” boxes lined with acoustic foam, which can impede airflow if not designed with precision.36
  2. Thermal Loads: A single Antminer S23 generates as much heat as a large electric space heater (3,500 W).36 In an NYC apartment, this heat will quickly make the space uninhabitable unless vented directly outside.48 Practical solutions involve using flexible 8-inch ducting attached to the miner’s exhaust fans and sealed to a window insert.36
  3. Circuit Limitations: Most residential NYC circuits are rated for 15 or 20 amps at 120V.50 A professional ASIC like the S23 requires a 240V circuit and draws more power than a typical kitchen outlet can safely provide.50 Attempting to run industrial hardware on standard home wiring is a significant fire hazard and may require an electrician to install dedicated 240V infrastructure.50

Beyond the Bottom Line: Anonymity and Strategic Accumulation

While the immediate daily ROI is the most visible metric, many participants continue to mine coins like Monero (XMR) and Verus (VRSC) for reasons that transcend simple monthly profit.34 For many, the primary driver is financial sovereignty and privacy. Monero, for instance, is the gold standard for anonymity, utilizing ring signatures and stealth addresses to ensure transactions are untraceable and confidential.1 Mining provides a way to acquire these assets through “non-KYC” (Know Your Customer) means—obtaining currency directly from the protocol without going through a centralized exchange that requires personal identity verification.34 Furthermore, some view CPU mining as a form of “strategic accumulation” or a long-term investment, betting that the privacy utility and decentralized nature of these networks will cause their value to appreciate significantly as global financial surveillance increases.51 In this light, even a low-margin operation is seen as a productive contribution toward maintaining an egalitarian and censorship-resistant financial system.52

Conclusion: The Survival of the Efficient

By March 2026, the era of the “casual Bitcoin miner” has fundamentally transitioned into a game of efficiency and tactical hardware selection. The geopolitical crisis in the Middle East has served as a stress test for the entire ecosystem, effectively pricing out all but the most efficient operators in high-cost urban centers like New York.1 For the institutional player, profitability is found in “waste energy” and industrial-scale hydro-cooling.34 For the individual, the path forward is defined by “hardware parity” algorithms like VerusHash and the extreme performance-per-watt of Apple’s M-series silicon.16 While a balcony solar kit cannot sustain a professional Bitcoin rig, it can provide the energy independence needed to power a small-scale, decentralized CPU mining operation.44 In this environment, mining is no longer a path to “quick riches,” but a method of participating in a global, censorship-resistant financial system through the intelligent management of energy and silicon.4

Footnotes

  1. US energy prices were set to rise long before the Iran war | Chatham House, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/03/us-energy-prices-were-set-rise-long-iran-war ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  2. Bitcoin Mining: How It Works & How to get started in 2026 - Blockpit, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.blockpit.io/blog/what-is-bitcoin-mining ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  3. What Is Nonce In Blockchain. What Nonce Crypto Do - Paybis Blog, accessed April 3, 2026, https://paybis.com/blog/glossary/what-is-a-blockchain-nonce/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  4. Bitcoin mining explained – process, benefits, and challenges - CoinShares, accessed April 3, 2026, https://coinshares.com/us/insights/knowledge/bitcoin-mining-explained-process-benefits-and-challenges/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  5. Bitcoin Q&A: Iterating Nonces and the Block Reward - YouTube, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjn2aoMaFlY ↩ ↩2

  6. Nonce | Field in the Block Header used for Mining - Learn Me A Bitcoin, accessed April 3, 2026, https://learnmeabitcoin.com/technical/block/nonce/ ↩ ↩2

  7. Transaction Fees vs. Block Rewards: The 2026 Mining Revenue Shift - Bitdeer, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.bitdeer.com/learn/transaction-fees-vs-block-rewards-the-2026-mining-revenue-shift ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  8. Bitcoin Mining - Rowan University, accessed April 3, 2026, https://csm.rowan.edu/departments/cs/students/archive/STEM/STEMposters_2017/bitcoin_stem2017.pdf ↩ ↩2

  9. ASIC vs. GPU Crypto Mining: Hardware Comparison Guide - Coincub, accessed April 3, 2026, https://coincub.com/mining/asic-gpu-crypto-mining/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  10. CPUs to ASICs: The Evolution of Crypto Mining Hardware - CryptoMinerBros, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.cryptominerbros.com/blog/crypto-mining-hardware-evolution/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  11. Understanding Cryptocurrency Mining Algorithms - Bitdeer, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.bitdeer.com/learn/understanding-cryptocurrency-mining-algorithms ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  12. Monero - Wikipedia, accessed April 3, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monero ↩

  13. RandomX | Moneropedia | Monero - secure, private, untraceable, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.getmonero.org/resources/moneropedia/randomx.html ↩

  14. Is L3 cache still important for defining the number of threads? : r/MoneroMining - Reddit, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.reddit.com/r/MoneroMining/comments/e4o36r/is_l3_cache_still_important_for_defining_the/ ↩ ↩2

  15. RandomX Optimization Guide - XMRig, accessed April 3, 2026, https://xmrig.com/docs/miner/randomx-optimization-guide ↩ ↩2

  16. Verus Proof of Power - Verus PBaaS Documentation, accessed April 3, 2026, https://docs.verus.io/overview/verus-proof-of-power.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  17. Verus Coin - Phase I, accessed April 3, 2026, https://verus.io/papers/VerusPhaseI.pdf ↩ ↩2

  18. Hoohash Security Against FPGA, ASIC & Quantum | by Hoosat Network | Medium, accessed April 3, 2026, https://medium.com/@toni.lukkaroinen/hoohash-security-against-fpga-asic-quantum-9584924ee54c ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  19. Evaluating the Apple Silicon M-Series SoCs for HPC Performance and Efficiency - arXiv, accessed April 3, 2026, https://arxiv.org/html/2502.05317v1 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  20. Profit Generating Protocol for Miners and Stakers | by Max Theyse | Verus Coin - Medium, accessed April 3, 2026, https://medium.com/veruscoin/verus-profit-generating-protocol-for-miners-and-stakers-2d2b454aa330 ↩ ↩2

  21. AVX-512: First Impressions on Performance and Programmability | Hacker News, accessed April 3, 2026, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46610800 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  22. Benchmarking division and libdivide on Apple M1 and Intel AVX512 - Ridiculous Fish, accessed April 3, 2026, https://ridiculousfish.com/blog/posts/benchmarking-libdivide-m1-avx512.html ↩

  23. I figured a super easy way to mine on Apple Silicon, I’ll get around 10MH/s average on my M1 : r/VerusCoin - Reddit, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.reddit.com/r/VerusCoin/comments/1gsgfpx/i_figured_a_super_easy_way_to_mine_on_apple/ ↩

  24. AMD Ryzen 9 7950X vs Apple M3 Max 16 vs Ryzen 9 3950X vs Intel i7-1065G7, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/5031vs5748vs3598vs3466/AMD-Ryzen-9-7950X-vs-Apple-M3-Max-16—vs-AMD-Ryzen-9-3950X-vs-Intel-i7-1065G7 ↩

  25. Apple’s M4 Max chip is the fastest single-core performer in consumer computing | Hacker News, accessed April 3, 2026, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42016931 ↩

  26. Mining | Verus PBaaS Documentation, accessed April 3, 2026, https://docs.verus.io/economy/start-mining.html ↩

  27. Best Bitcoin Mining Machines 2026 – Complete Review - CoinDCX, accessed April 3, 2026, https://coindcx.com/blog/bitcoin/best-bitcoin-mining-machine/ ↩ ↩2

  28. Explaining Merge Mining, What Are the Pros and Cons? Merge Mining, Also Known as Auxiliary Proof-of-work (AuxPoW), Is the Practice of Mining Two Different Cryptocurrencies Simultaneously. In Merge Mining, a Miner Can Mine Blocks for Multiple Chains at… - Moomoo, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.moomoo.com/news/post/59380905/explaining-merge-mining-what-are-the-pros-and-cons-merge ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  29. What is Dogecoin Merge Mining? - OKX, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.okx.com/learn/what-is-dogecoin-merge-mining ↩ ↩2

  30. Merged Mining Explained - Quai Network, accessed April 3, 2026, https://qu.ai/blog/merged-mining-explained ↩

  31. Merge Mining: How It Works and Why It Matters - Bitdeer, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.bitdeer.com/learn/merge-mining-how-it-works-and-why-it-matters ↩

  32. Call me naive, but am I the only one who looks at mining as one of the worst inv… | Hacker News, accessed April 3, 2026, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14785660 ↩

  33. Environmental impact of bitcoin - Wikipedia, accessed April 3, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_bitcoin ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  34. Bitcoin mining and energy consumption: waste or opportunity? – Affidaty Blog, accessed April 3, 2026, https://affidaty.io/blog/en/2024/01/bitcoin-mining-renewable-energy/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  35. Bitcoin Mining Economics in 2026: Post-Halving Reality | Spark, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.spark.money/research/bitcoin-mining-economics-2026 ↩

  36. Bitmain Antminer S21 Series: Best ASIC Miners for Home and Farm Mining in 2026, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.cryptominerbros.com/blog/bitmain-antminer-s21-series-best-asic-miners-for-home-and-farm-mining/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  37. As Gas Prices Skyrocket Due to War in Iran, Governor Hochul Slams Trump and Washington Republicans for Driving Up Costs, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/gas-prices-skyrocket-due-war-iran-governor-hochul-slams-trump-and-washington-republicans ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  38. Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war - Wikipedia, accessed April 3, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_impact_of_the_2026_Iran_war ↩

  39. 10 Best Bitcoin Mining Machines March 2026 | Expert Review | Koinly, accessed April 3, 2026, https://koinly.io/blog/best-crypto-mining-hardware/ ↩

  40. Bitmain Antminer S23 Hydro Bitcoin Miner - CryptoMinerBros, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.cryptominerbros.com/product/bitmain-antminer-s23-hydro-bitcoin-miner/ ↩ ↩2

  41. Bitmain Antminer S23 Series Preview – 2026 Bitcoin Miners - Mineshop.eu, accessed April 3, 2026, https://mineshop.eu/blog/mineshop-blog-tutorials/bitmain-antminer-s23-series-review-expected-to-launch-early-2026 ↩

  42. Best ASIC Miners To Buy In 2026: Top Bitcoin Mining Equipment - EZ Blockchain, accessed April 3, 2026, https://ezblockchain.net/article/best-asic-miners-to-buy/ ↩ ↩2

  43. Mac processor comparison: Apple Silicon vs Intel - Macworld, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.macworld.com/article/670873/which-mac-processor-apple-processor-comparison-m1-vs-intel.html ↩

  44. Apple M3 Max 16 vs Apple M4 10 vs Intel i9-14900KS vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX - CPU Benchmarks, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/5748vs6040vs5957vs5733/Apple-M3-Max-16-Core-vs-Apple-M4-10-Core-vs-Intel-i9-14900KS-vs-AMD-Ryzen-Threadripper-PRO-7945WX ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  45. Balcony Solar Panels: The Future of Urban Energy?, accessed April 3, 2026, https://ases.org/balcony-solar-panels-the-future-of-urban-energy/ ↩ ↩2

  46. ‘Plug-In Solar’ Has Faced Major Red Tape in Most States. That Could Soon Change, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.wri.org/insights/enabling-plug-in-solar-states ↩

  47. 2026 Guide to Balcony & Plug-In Solar, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.solar.com/learn/guide-to-balcony-plug-in-solar/ ↩

  48. Can you mine Bitcoin at home using solar energy? | Lumerin Blog - Medium, accessed April 3, 2026, https://medium.com/lumerin-blog/can-you-mine-bitcoin-at-home-using-solar-panels-95dabaa5f9bf ↩ ↩2

  49. Has Anyone Considered Mining with Solar Power and DC Direct Connection? : r/BitcoinMining - Reddit, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.reddit.com/r/BitcoinMining/comments/1j8vq2u/has_anyone_considered_mining_with_solar_power_and/ ↩

  50. How To Choose Bitcoin Mining Equipment 2026: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide, accessed April 3, 2026, https://ezblockchain.net/article/how-to-choose-bitcoin-mining-equipment-guide/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  51. The Iran war and surging oil prices are affecting consumers. Here’s how | PBS News, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/the-iran-war-and-surging-oil-prices-are-affecting-consumers-heres-how ↩

  52. Bitcoin’s Nonce: A Core Concept Explained - Lightspark, accessed April 3, 2026, https://www.lightspark.com/glossary/nonce ↩