US Bitcoin Miners Scramble to Stock Up Amid Tariff Pause — But Disadvantages Remain
The Trump administration’s recent pause on sweeping tariffs has sparked a buying frenzy among U.S. Bitcoin miners, but industry leaders say the reprieve may be too short-lived to fix the deeper issues at play.
President Donald Trump’s April 8 announcement delayed the implementation of harsh reciprocal tariffs until July — offering a 90-day window. However, a baseline 10% tariff still applies to most countries, with a steep hike to 145% for imports from China, the world’s largest mining rig producer.
Rush Before the Storm
The pause has led to a surge in demand for mining rigs. Companies are rushing to secure hardware before potential tariff increases make expansion cost-prohibitive.
“We expect to see a short-term spike in machine imports,” said Hashlabs CEO Jaran Mellerud, adding that while the 10% tariff isn’t fatal, “it definitely raises capital expenditure” and affects the long-term viability of new mining operations in the U.S.
Ethan Vera, COO of Luxor Technology, echoed this sentiment. He noted that U.S.-landed machines and onshore assembly contracts have already increased in price amid the supply crunch.
Industry on Edge
Even before the tariff pause, Mellerud warned that Trump’s policies could cripple U.S. demand for mining rigs, forcing manufacturers to look elsewhere to offload inventory — likely at lower prices. That means foreign mining firms may gain a competitive edge.
The real issue, Mellerud said, is instability: “What miners need is predictability and stable rules — not policy whiplash every few months.”
Vera agrees. The shifting policies have forced Luxor to reconsider expansion strategies, possibly moving operations overseas.
“American Bitcoin” vs. Global Reality
Ironically, Trump’s campaign pledge was to ensure all remaining Bitcoin is “made in the USA.” Yet insiders suggest the industry simply isn’t a top priority for the administration.
Last month, members of Trump’s family joined forces with Hut 8 to launch a new venture — “American Bitcoin” — aiming to build the world’s largest Bitcoin mining firm.
But with tariff rates ranging from 24% to 36% on imports from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand — key rig manufacturing hubs — the path forward for U.S. miners is anything but clear.
Bitcoin Price Update
As of today, Bitcoin is down 1.2%, trading at $80,555, according to CoinGecko. It now sits 26% below its all-time high of $108,786, which it hit on Trump’s inauguration day — January 20.
Bottom line: U.S. miners may get a temporary break, but without long-term policy stability, America’s dominance in Bitcoin mining may remain more political promise than practical reality.
