Block Shakes Up Crypto Mining: Launches Modular Proto Rig & Open-Source Software

Breaking the mold—again. Block just dropped a modular mining rig prototype paired with open-source software, and the crypto world is buzzing. No more black-box hardware or proprietary lock-ins. This is mining, unshackled.

Hardware meets hacker ethos

The proto rig’s modular design lets users swap components like Lego blocks—no soldering iron needed. Meanwhile, the open-source software cuts through the usual vendor BS, putting control back in miners’ hands. Think of it as a Raspberry Pi for crypto, but with way more profit potential (and fewer excuses for not hitting ROI).

Wall Street won’t care—until it does

Finance bros will ignore this until their quant models sniff out the arbitrage. By then, early adopters will have already stacked sats while banks were busy shorting Bitcoin ETFs. The irony? Block’s move might actually make mining profitable again—something Wall Street’s over-leveraged mining plays haven’t managed in years.

Proto Rig redefines mining hardware

The Proto Rig departs from the traditional disposable mining hardware model, offering a durable and upgradeable solution designed to function as long-term infrastructure.

Its modularity enables operators to replace individual hashboards rather than entire units, transforming typical 3-5 year assets into machines expected to last a decade.

This shift can reduce costs by 15-20% per upgrade cycle and dramatically cut repair times from days to seconds due to tool-free maintenance.

Thomas Templeton, Hardware Lead at Block, emphasized the innovation, stating:

“Mining hardware hasn’t really changed in years. Machines break often, are hard to repair, expensive and time-consuming to upgrade, and don’t make the most efficient use of power or space. With Rig, we set out to change all of that–and contribute to hardware decentralization in the process.”

The Proto Rig also provides 1.5 times the power density per rack foot compared to legacy systems and is compatible with both modern and existing mining infrastructure.

Proto Fleet delivers open-source management

Alongside Proto Rig, Block launched Proto Fleet, an open-source software platform that integrates power scaling, diagnostics, monitoring, and maintenance tools.

This unified approach streamlines operations for miners of all sizes, increases miner uptime, and reduces troubleshooting time.

The software is available at no cost, advancing Block’s goal of decentralizing mining operations.

Expanding commitment to bitcoin

These launches follow Block’s previous sale of mining chips to Core Scientific and round out its broader bitcoin-focused offerings across Square, Cash App, Bitkey, and Spiral.

The company aims to make bitcoin mining more accessible and resilient to a wider range of operators.

Related mining context

The introduction of more efficient and upgradeable hardware comes as miners face pressure from tighter margins and competition.

For insight into miner profitability, see the bitcoin mining profitablity chart, and for broader network trends, review the bitcoin historical hashrate chart.