Riot Blockchain Says Coronavirus Outbreak Might Hurt Crypto Mining Farms

Riot Blockchain's 10-K filing captures the fear COVID-19 is sowing in American companies.

AccessTimeIconMar 30, 2020 at 5:00 a.m. UTC
Updated May 9, 2023 at 3:07 a.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Riot Blockchain is worried COVID-19 may “seriously disrupt” its bitcoin (BTC) mining operations. 

The Nasdaq-listed rig builder revealed its concerns in its annual 10-K report with the Securities and Exchange Commission, filed Wednesday. Such reports always include a “general risks” section detailing worst-case business scenarios. This year, Riot added two pandemic-specific subsections to discuss COVID-19.

  • What's the Biggest Misconception People Have About Bitcoin Mining?
    00:39
    What's the Biggest Misconception People Have About Bitcoin Mining?
  • What You Need to Know About the Bitcoin Halving
    01:47
    What You Need to Know About the Bitcoin Halving
  • Bitcoin Miner Bitfarms Warns of Default
    04:20
    Bitcoin Miner Bitfarms Warns of Default
  • How Bitcoin Mining Got 'Even More Competitive' In 2022: Analyst
    01:17
    How Bitcoin Mining Got 'Even More Competitive' In 2022: Analyst
  • Riot Blockchain is getting thrashed by the response to COVID-19, the general risk section shows. Its workers are being quarantined and going into self-isolation while its supply chain is seizing up under border restrictions and factory closures, according to the filing.

    It also has the unwanted label of being a “nonessential business.” According to the 10-K, Riot has not been classified as an essential business in any of  “the jurisdictions that have decided that issue to date.” That potentially cuts off access to Riot’s offices and mining rigs.

    “If we are unable to effectively service our miners, our ability to mine bitcoin will be adversely affected as miners go offline,” Riot wrote. 

    Riot's concerns echo issues Chinese mining farms faced nearly two months ago. In early February, PandaMiner Chief Operating Officer Abe Yang told CoinDesk his company had difficulty operating some of its farms due to quarantine controls in certain provinces because they had limited staff repairing machines and running the hardware.

    At present, Riot's Oklahoma City operation features 4,000 Bitmain S17 Pro Antminers purchased over December 2019 for $6.35 million total, according to two presshttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/riot-blockchain-announces-purchase-additional-214900372.html releaseshttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/riot-blockchain-announces-purchase-3-214500247.html issued at the time. Those rigs replaced Riot's older fleet of about 8,000 S9 models, now offline, the 10-K shows.

    The “catastrophic” business ramifications of COVID-19 are hardly unique to Riot Blockchain; nearly every business is facing an existential threat that only four months ago would have sounded absurd. 

    It’s an open question where all this will lead. Riot admits that the pandemic’s “sweeping nature” makes it next to impossible to predict the long term impact. One thing is certain, though:

    “If not resolved quickly, the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic could have a material adverse effect on our business.”

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.