Can Individuals Still Profit From Bitcoin Mining? Hosted Services Face Tough Economics

Back in 2009, anyone with a home computer could mine bitcoin, and some early miners built up thousands of coins before specialized rigs pushed hobbyists aside. Now services like GoMining, KuMining and Sazmining are trying to bring individuals back by giving them a share of industrial scale mining without running machines at home. Profit is still hard to find. Ambire founder Ivo Georgiev, who mined in 2011 while in high school, said it is hard for individuals to make money and will not get easier.

Mining Costs, Hashrate and the 2028 Halving

Large miners are moving toward AI computing, which sparked talk that less competition could lift returns. Hashrate sits near 1.09 zetahash per second, close to last year’s level and rising for two months.

Real Numbers Behind a Hosted Mining Board

Sazmining sells boards built by Jack Dorsey’s Block for $4,187, plus $153 monthly for power and upkeep and a 15% fee on mined coins. At $83,000 per bitcoin, the firm’s output estimate leaves about $633 a year, meaning over six years to recover the cost. KuMining’s Jolie Du estimates 23 to 29 months for one machine.