2026-01-09 09:21:58

The evolution of Bitcoin mining pools over the past decade is quite fascinating. From initially being just a tool to aggregate hash power and smooth out income fluctuations, they have now become a complex ecosystem hub—deeply integrated with firmware optimization, remote management of mining rigs, energy efficiency systems, and even financial derivatives trading.

According to the latest industry data, by 2026, the competitive landscape of Bitcoin mining pools will continue to evolve, with Foundry USA maintaining a leading advantage. What does this reflect? As mining difficulty rises and electricity costs become a core competitive factor, those pools that can provide full-chain solutions—from hardware selection and power station interfacing to derivatives hedging—are swallowing up market share.

In other words, mining pools are no longer simple "mining intermediaries," but truly become **mining coordination hubs**. This shift has profound impacts on the decentralization of the entire Bitcoin network, the stability of miners' earnings, and even macro energy allocation.

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0xSherlock

· 01-12 09:21

Ha, doesn't that mean mining pools are becoming more competitive, and in the end, the winner takes all? --- Foundry USA is dominant. I just want to ask, do other mining pools still have a chance? --- Evolving from tools to ecological hubs sounds pretty intimidating. What about decentralization? --- Electricity costs become the core competitiveness. Isn't this a return to traditional industry competition? --- Full-chain solutions sound professional, but basically it means higher and higher barriers to entry. --- Miners are locked into these pools, it's hard to imagine how they can still make money. --- Derivative trading, energy systems... mining pools are now almost like investment banks. --- With increasing difficulty, what should small retail investors do? The author didn't mention this issue. --- Foundry USA's ability to stay ahead depends on one thing: having money. --- A truly coordinated central hub sounds much more complicated than before.

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ShitcoinConnoisseur

· 01-12 08:22

Haha, I can't stop laughing. The mining pools are so competitive now, they've evolved from intermediaries to energy financial empires? --- Foundry USA is the king, mainly because they've latched onto the energy sector; other mining pools are too weak. --- I just want to ask, are miners really enjoying the benefits now, or are they getting even more trapped? --- Decentralization? I think if this continues, mining pools will become the true centers, and Bitcoin's influence will become more concentrated. --- This is what you call competition. Firmware optimization, derivative hedging—it's all like Wall Street. Miners are after stable income, so who benefits from all this complexity? --- Energy becoming a core competitive advantage, I believe that. Places with cheap electricity have long been taken over by big capital. How can retail miners play? --- But on the other hand, the complete ecosystem chain is really impressive—from choosing machines to risk hedging, everything is covered. The efficiency is truly high. --- Foundry's move is brilliant; they're not just mining, they're in finance. --- If this continues, small mining pools will eventually be swallowed up. Isn't the market share being "devoured" right now? --- It seems mining pools are becoming more like investment banks. Is this Web3 or Web2?

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MysteryBoxAddict

· 01-10 19:27

This is just the prelude to monopoly. Foundry's monopolistic practices are really unrestrained. --- As mining pools grow larger and larger, it feels like small miners are finding it increasingly difficult. --- The complete solution essentially means higher barriers to entry, making it unaffordable. --- After shouting for decentralization for so many years, the result is that mining pools are becoming more concentrated? Irony. --- Electricity costs are the real key; winners with power plants dominate everything. --- Now, mining isn't just about hash rate; you also need to compete with financial strategies. It's too competitive. --- Foundry's move is indeed ruthless, directly monopolizing the entire process. --- Energy efficiency systems combined with derivatives hedging; small pools simply can't compete. --- Wait, isn't this logic leading to more centralization? --- What sounds good is an ecosystem hub; what sounds bad is increasing control concentration.

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MetaEggplant

· 01-09 09:49

Why do I feel like mining pools have become more and more like energy giants over the years... not pure anymore --- Foundry USA is so powerful, it's really just relying on electricity costs to crush the competition --- Wait, turning mining pools into coordination hubs... is Bitcoin still decentralized? --- Basically, the threshold for mining has been raised again, retail miners are increasingly unable to make a living --- Hey, I don't understand the energy efficiency part, but it feels like the story of BTC mining is being told again --- Full-chain solutions sound impressive, but in reality, they're still bleeding the old miners --- As expected, the final winners in the crypto world are those big players, middlemen never lose

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SolidityJester

· 01-09 09:33

Mining has evolved from tools to an ecological hub. To put it simply, it's about oligopoly. Foundry's integrated approach always wins no matter how they fight.

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GasWastingMaximalist

· 01-09 09:29

Haha, Foundry USA's gameplay is really impressive. The entire chain integration is truly overwhelming. The real key is the electricity cost—how do other mining pools compare? Pooling is no longer just pooling; it's now an empire of finance. Decentralization is becoming increasingly ironic. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have built my own mining rigs. I'm exhausted from the competition. It feels like miners have really become laborers, with all the profits being skimmed by the mining pools. Energy allocation has an incredibly significant influence—it's a bit frightening. Honestly, Foundry's moat is really hard for others to cross.

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GasOptimizer

· 01-09 09:27

Isn't this just the prelude to monopolization? Dubbed as the "ecological hub," in reality, it's big mining pools swallowing smaller ones. --- Foundry USA is so aggressive; it seems small retail miners are finding it harder and harder to survive. --- Energy efficiency, derivative hedging... sounds professional, but for ordinary miners, it's just new ways to get cut. --- Full-chain solutions sound great, but they're actually about binding consumption, with all the power in their hands. --- Gotta admit, mining pools have indeed evolved from tools into centralized hubs, which is a irony to BTC's decentralization ideals. --- Is this judgment about 2026 a bit bold? Can the mining landscape really stay this stable? --- Electricity costs are the real moat; places with cheap power offer competitive opportunities. Don't be so pessimistic. --- That's true, but the problem is small miners simply can't afford to play the derivative hedging game, accelerating class division. --- Wait, they're still doing firmware optimization? Is there really that much profit in this area? --- The story of mining pools is a story of capital concentration; it feels more and more like traditional finance.

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GateUser-cff9c776

· 01-09 09:26

Uh... so now the story of mining pools is a process of "imperialist expansion"? From tools to hubs, from intermediaries to devourers, honestly this is the art of centralization in action. Energy costs have firmly set the rules of the game. Foundry and their team have managed to handle power connections and derivatives hedging, while other miners are still figuring out how to save on electricity bills. The gap is obvious. What about the spirit of decentralized Web3? It seems a bit ironic now. This logic is like gallery owners in the Van Gogh era, where controlling the supply chain is the real power, and miners have instead become "creators." By the way, has Foundry already started defining the discourse power of the Bitcoin network? That feels a bit dangerous.

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