In 2026, miners will seek regions with cheaper power, alternative generation sources, and new sites for farm placement.
Competition will intensify: weak participants without infrastructure and cost control will exit the market, while leaders will continue to invest in equipment and locations.
Experts advise legalizing the business, building their own capacities, and diversifying risks for resilience.
2026 will be a pivotal year for the global and Russian mining industry. The sector is entering a period of high volatility, where not only cryptocurrency exchange rates matter, but also the companies’ capacity to adjust to evolving conditions. Key factors include electricity cost, site availability, the legal environment, and technological progress.
According to Igor Arkhipov, Business Development Director at “Interhash,” intensifying competition and rising operational expenditures make finding sustainable models absolutely vital.
Technological Race and Displacement of Weak Players
Competition is mounting. Weak players, unable to streamline their operational expenses or quickly adapt to changes, will be driven out of the market.
Successful firms will put capital into more efficient hardware and proprietary infrastructure—shifting from leasing data centers to fully overseeing sites. This will allow for expense reduction and bolster business stability.
According to MTS data, over 136,000 mining rigs were registered in Russia in 2024. The majority of capacity is dedicated to Bitcoin mining, consistently holding the largest share in the mining structure. Litecoin, Kaspa, and Monero follow.
Bitcoin has always grown in cycles. How many times has it been declared dead? Dozens, if not hundreds of times. Yet, the network only expanded. And the current rate downturn is no exception, Arkhipov recalls. – Some people panic and start divesting, while others, conversely, stock up. But those who survive are the ones who don’t seek easy routes, but build a robust structure in mining.
What Market Leaders Advise
Igor Arkhipov shares three primary recommendations that will help miners navigate 2026 without severe losses.
- Infrastructure Oversight
Outsourcing maintenance and energy consumption is becoming less beneficial. Own sites grant control over tariffs, technical specifications, and operation. This lowers expenditures and enhances reliability.
- Full Business Legalization
Undeclared equipment and opaque processes carry the hazard of fines and asset seizure. A proper legal structure becomes a survival factor, not just a formality.
- Risk Diversification
Working with alternative locations, mining different coins, self-generation, and equipment optimization are essential measures for sustainability.
2026 will be a year of harsh selection. Mining is not a lottery, but a business with high hazards, yet rewarding benefits. Those unwilling to invest in new technologies, legalization, and optimization risk simply failing to survive this competition, summarizes Igor Arkhipov.
The only question remains how many market participants will manage to adjust to the new realities. The accelerating exodus of weak players and climbing costs may render 2026 one of the most challenging years for the industry.
About the Author
