BRICS Bitcoin Mining Plan by Russia Showcases ‘Game Theory’ in Action, Analyst States

• Russia is laying plans to establish Bitcoin mining and AI computing facilities in BRIC’s nations just after Russia’s sovereign wealth fund entered a partnership with BitRiver.
• By fostering a collaborative mining environment, the BRICS nations are expected to enhance their positions in the global cryptocurrency market.

Bitcoin mining expenses have reached record highs in the third quarter of 2024, despite Russia’s plan to establish Bitcoin mining and AI computing facilities within BRICS nations. This will motivate other nations to mine the precious commodity. This move might also motivate individual Bitcoin miners to put their machines to work assuming that the laws implemented in Russia will improve market conditions.

The BRIC’s yearly summit held in Moscow in mid-October resulted in Russia’s largest data center operator BitRiver partnering with the Russian Direct Investment Fund to build mining and AI computing facilities across BRICS nations.

According to the founder of Digital Mining Solutions Nico Smid, the “Game Theory” is in motion already. Three of the six new members joining the inter-governmental organization have begun mining Bitcoin using government resources, the nations are Argentina, The UAE, and Ethiopia. Other nations that are reluctant to monetize underutilized energy to mine Bitcoin will feel the ripple effect eventually and follow suit.

In a CNBC interview, Matthew Sigel of VanEck discussed a significant shift away from traditional Western financial systems, emphasizing Russia’s investment in Bitcoin through its Sovereign Wealth Fund. He stated that this investment is part of Russia’s initiative to create AI infrastructure within BRICS, aiming to establish a regional trade settlement system that reduces reliance on the U.S. dollar. Sigel views the current market as bullish for Bitcoin, drawing parallels to the volatility seen during the 2020 U.S. elections, suggesting potential growth for the cryptocurrency.

Besides that, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Yevgeny Grabchak announced yesterday that digital currency mining will soon face state-level bans in certain Russian regions due to energy supply constraints. He indicated that areas suffering from power shortages such as the Far East, southwestern Siberia, and the South are unable to support large mining operations sustainably until at least 2030.

The upcoming restrictions coincide with a new law signed by President Vladimir Putin, effective November 1. As earlier reported by CNF, this legislation grants the Russian government the power to impose limits on digital currency mining in designated regions and outlines the process for such restrictions. 

Bitcoin’s Price Volatility

As the BRICS coalition strengthens its focus on digital currencies, the potential ripple effect on Bitcoin’s market price is noteworthy. The influx of mining capacity from BRICS nations may lead to increased Bitcoin supply, influencing market dynamics. 

Meanwhile, BTC’s price is $72,05, down by 0.42% in the last 24 hours. The daily trading volume has decreased by 28.52% to $37.3 billion.

In March, Bitcoin reached its ATH of over $73,000 following the introduction of these Bitcoin ETFs to the market. A CoinShares report revealed that $1 billion of new investments flowed into Bitcoin ETFs last week alone. Additionally, cryptocurrency investors believe Bitcoin’s price could surge, reaching a new high if Trump wins.