SBI Crypto to Close Bitcoin Mining Pool on July 31

The move comes as SBI Holdings shifts its focus toward crypto exchanges, stablecoins and broader digital asset infrastructure.

Summary:

SBI Crypto will shut down its Bitcoin mining pool on July 31, 2026, ending more than five years of operations.
The pool will stop accepting mining shares on July 30 at 22:00 UTC, with final payouts calculated before closure.
The shutdown is expected to remove around 15 EH/s of computing power, or roughly 1%–2% of Bitcoin’s global network hash rate.

SBI Crypto, the Bitcoin mining subsidiary of Japan’s SBI Holdings, will cease operations of its mining pool at the end of July, marking the company’s exit from one of the industry’s most competitive infrastructure businesses.

According to the company, miners can continue submitting hashrate until 22:00 UTC on July 30, after which the pool will stop accepting new mining shares. Operations will officially conclude on July 31, with remaining rewards distributed through final settlement calculations.

This pivot by SBI Holdings reflects a wider industry trend of institutional maturity, where major financial entities are prioritizing regulatory compliance and predictable cash flows over the speculative nature of proof-of-work mining. By divesting from capital-intensive mining, SBI is signaling a shift toward ‘infrastructure-as-a-service’ models, such as digital asset custody and regulated stablecoin issuance.

This move is consistent with the firm’s recent aggressive expansion in Japan’s financial markets, most notably its acquisition of Bitbank, which suggests an institutional intent to dominate the regulated exchange landscape rather than operate as a primary network validator.

Around 15 EH/s Set to Leave the Network

The closure will remove approximately 15 exahashes per second (EH/s) from the Bitcoin network, representing an estimated 1% to 2% of global mining capacity depending on the measurement period.

Although the reduction is relatively modest compared with Bitcoin’s total hashrate, it highlights the continued consolidation of the mining industry following increasing competition, rising operational costs and tighter profit margins.

To facilitate the transition, SBI Crypto has recommended that miners migrate to Braiins Pool, Luxor Pool or NeoPool, noting that some providers may offer incentives or preferential terms for former SBI participants.

Strategic Focus Shifts Beyond Mining

The decision aligns with SBI Holdings’ broader strategy of expanding higher-margin digital asset businesses while reducing exposure to capital-intensive mining operations.

In recent months, the Japanese financial group has accelerated its presence across regulated crypto markets, including its agreement to acquire full ownership of cryptocurrency exchange Bitbank in a transaction valued at approximately $289 million.

SBI has also become increasingly active in stablecoin infrastructure, supporting initiatives tied to the JPYSC yen-backed stablecoin and preparing for the rollout of Ripple’s RLUSD in the Japanese market.

The strategic pivot reflects a broader industry trend, with financial institutions increasingly prioritizing custody, payments, tokenization and regulated digital asset services over proof-of-work mining.

Security Incident Preceded Operational Review

While the September 2025 security breach resulted in $21 million in losses, industry analysts view the subsequent pool closure not merely as a reaction to that singular event, but as a deeper ‘operational audit’ common among public-facing financial institutions. In the wake of increased regulatory scrutiny, firms are weighing the reputational and financial risks of proof-of-work operations against the safety of regulated financial services. For stakeholders, this decision underscores a clear prioritization of risk mitigation and long-term shareholder value, moving the subsidiary away from high-volatility assets that fall outside the core competencies of a traditional financial conglomerate.

While the company has not directly linked the incident to its decision to close the mining pool, the breach prompted internal reviews and operational adjustments that preceded the announcement.

Launched in March 2021, SBI Crypto’s mining pool operated for more than five years before announcing its planned closure. The move underscores the changing economics of Bitcoin mining, as firms increasingly concentrate resources on regulated financial infrastructure and institutional digital asset services rather than maintaining standalone mining operations.

The information presented in this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or trading advice. Coinspress.com does not promote or advocate for any particular investment strategy, asset, or cryptocurrency project. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile and unpredictable – always perform your own research and seek guidance from a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.

Author

Kosta Gushterov

Reporter at CoinsPress

Kosta has reported on cryptocurrency markets and blockchain infrastructure since 2020, bringing over six years of hands-on experience in the crypto industry built through daily tracking of markets, trends, and emerging blockchain developments. Specializing in Bitcoin on-chain analysis, institutional ETF flows, and digital asset price action, his work has been cited by other news agencies and consistently covers market developments with a focus on data-driven reporting across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. Over the years, Kosta has contributed to multiple crypto media outlets in different regions, authoring over 6,000 articles across the sector. His reporting spans cryptocurrency markets and the broader fintech industry, tracking not only price action but also the technological and regulatory forces shaping the ecosystem. To support his analysis, Kosta actively leverages on-chain data and metrics from leading platforms such as Santiment, Glassnode, and CryptoQuant, enabling deeper, evidence-based market insights. He believes in the power of transparency and the data that underpins the blockchain ecosystem. His academic background in Marketing Management from Denmark further complements his analytical approach, adding a strong understanding of communication strategy and content positioning to his work.