US Airbnb Bans Crypto Mining After Receiving Rs 1.25 Lakh Electricity Bill

An Airbnb host in the US was forced to add 'no cryptocurrency mining' to the list of instructions after a bizarre guest experience. According to Business Insider, Airbnb host Ashley Class revealed in a video posted to TikTok that she had banned crypto mining in her short-term rentals after she got a massive electricity bill of $1,500 (approximately Rs 1.25 lakh). The guests initially seemed like model renters. They were "five stars all the way," Ms Class said, with no issues or hiccups during their three-week stay. However, this was until the guests made her rental property a makeshift crypto-mining hub and ran up $1,500 in utility charges. 

Ms Class said that after she received the shocking electricity bill, she looked at footage from her outdoor camera. She saw that the guests had hauled in at least 10 computer rigs, which she later figured out were for crypto mining. 

"It was cheaper for them to rent a house than to pay for that electricity," Ms Class said in the video, per Business Insider. 

Notably, cryptocurrency mining is a process that involves solving complex mathematical problems to earn digital currency. The whole process requires significant computational power which needs a huge amount of electricity. The practice has even been outlawed in some parts of China due to environmental and financial concerns over the rise of crypto mining. 

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The Airbnb host stated that she messaged the guests and explained she would be charging them for the exorbitant electricity bill. However, the guests fought her until she got Airbnb involved and shared documentation of the incident. 

The guests apparently had the funds to repay her. Ms Class revealed in the comments section that the guests made $100,000 (approximately Rs 84 Lakh) during their three-week stay. 

Meanwhile, in the comments section of Ms Class' video, a number of Airbnb hosts mentioned that they have also explicitly banned crypto mining in their listings. "I also have in my rules no crypto mining. It's ridiculous we have to do this," one user wrote. "I've never heard of this, but thanks for the heads up! Heading to update my listing," commented another.