Block, the company founded by Jack Dorsey, has introduced a new product for bitcoin mining—modular installations known as Proto Rig. Developers estimate that this solution could reduce miners’ costs by 15-20%.
Today marks the end of rip and replace Bitcoin mining. Proto Rig—the first miner built to be infrastructure.
• Replaceable hashboards
• Save 15–20% with each cycle
• Works with legacy facilities setupsBuilt by the team at Block to improve uptime for miners and decentralize… pic.twitter.com/8qAgntl3DF
— Proto (@protomining) August 14, 2025
The Proto Rig is designed to last 10 years, unlike conventional ASICs, which become obsolete in 3-5 years. According to the project’s website, the device offers:
- up to 9.4 kW per foot with three power supplies and nine hashboards in a single chassis;
- energy efficiency of 14.1 J/TH;
- air cooling;
- rack repair in 90 seconds without tools.
Users can replace fan modules and hashboards without dismantling the entire system. The fanless power supply and three-phase power distribution enhance infrastructure efficiency.
According to Block’s head of hardware, Thomas Templeton, existing solutions “often break down, are difficult to repair, and upgrades require significant costs.” The company’s new product aims to address these issues while promoting the decentralization of mining.
“The design of the Proto Rig allows for three mining boards to be placed in the space occupied by two traditional miners, providing more than 1.5 times the power per rack foot compared to the most efficient compact devices on the market. Designed to work with both modern and legacy power infrastructures, it also ensures optimal electricity usage,” he added.
Block’s interest in mining dates back several years. In April 2024, the company completed the development of a 3-nm chip for mining the first cryptocurrency.
In July 2025, the firm entered into a partnership with miner Core Scientific. Dorsey’s firm supplied the company with new chips with a combined capacity of approximately ~15 EH/s.
Earlier, Luxor Technology’s COO Ethan Vera stated that Donald Trump’s new tariffs could slow the growth of the mining industry in the United States.