SBI Crypto Shuts Down Mining Pool on July 31, 2026: Where to Move Your Hashrate
SBI Crypto has announced the shutdown of its Bitcoin mining pool on July 31, 2026. At the time of the announcement the pool was running a 7-day average hashrate of 20.9 EH/s, about 2.2% of the global Bitcoin network. We look at what happened and compare the best alternatives for displaced miners.
Why SBI Crypto Is Closing
SBI Crypto is part of SBI Holdings, Japan's largest financial group. The pool launched in 2019 and peaked in the 2021 bull market as a top-10 pool by hashrate. By 2024-2026, its share had been steadily eroded by US competitors (Foundry USA, MARA Pool) and Asian pools (AntPool, SpiderPool).
No official reason has been given, but analysts point to:
- Margin compression: at a hashprice of $37.52/PH/day and Japanese electricity rates ($0.18-0.22/kWh), operating an independent pool became unprofitable
- Client attrition: pool hashrate fell roughly 50% in the 18 months after the 2024 halving as miners moved to lower-fee pools
- Regulatory headwinds: Japanese regulation has made crypto consumer services increasingly costly to operate
What It Means for the Network
At 20.9 EH/s against a network hashrate of 905 EH/s, SBI Crypto represents 2.3%. This is significant but not disruptive -- orders of magnitude smaller than the May 2021 China ban that wiped over 50% of hashrate in two weeks. The freed hashrate will quickly be absorbed by competing pools. A slight difficulty adjustment is expected in August but the effect will be minor.
Where to Go: Pool Comparison
If you were mining with SBI Crypto, here are the main alternatives with current terms as of July 2026:
| Pool | Hashrate | Fee | Scheme | Min payout | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POOL BTC | ~15 EH/s | 1.5% | FPPS | 0.001 BTC | Small and medium farms |
| Foundry USA | 231 EH/s | 0% | FPPS+ | 0.005 BTC | Large operators (US) |
| AntPool | 154 EH/s | 2.5% | PPS+ | 0.005 BTC | Large farms |
| F2Pool | 118 EH/s | 2.5% | PPS+ | 0.005 BTC | Medium farms |
| ViaBTC | 71 EH/s | 4% | PPS | 0.001 BTC | Any size |
| EMCD | ~8 EH/s | 1.5% | PPLNS | 0.001 BTC | Small farms (CIS) |
Data as of July 2026. Pool hashrates change daily.
How to Switch Your ASIC to a New Pool
Standard procedure for any ASIC (Antminer, Whatsminer, Avalon):
- Open the ASIC web interface (usually 192.168.1.x)
- Go to Miner Configuration or Mining Pools
- Replace the Pool 1 URL with the new pool address
- Set Worker Name in format
your_login.worker_name - Save. The switch takes 1-5 minutes
Set Pool 2 and Pool 3 as backups immediately so your miner automatically failovers without stopping if the primary pool goes offline.
Connection details and setup guide at POOL BTC. Calculate profitability before switching using the calculator.
Timeline and Next Steps
SBI Crypto shuts down July 31, 2026. Recommended actions:
- By July 15: choose a pool, register, and test connect at least one ASIC
- By July 25: migrate your full farm and confirm payouts are arriving correctly
- By July 31: withdraw remaining balance from SBI Crypto (check that no earned balance is stuck below the payout threshold)
FAQ
What happens to my SBI Crypto balance after July 31?
Contact SBI Crypto support directly. Pools typically pay out accumulated balances within 30 days of closing. Do not delay your withdrawal request.
Will the closure affect network difficulty?
Minimally. 2.3% of hashrate will redistribute quickly. No significant difficulty change expected.
Which pool for a small farm (1-5 ASICs)?
Prioritize low minimum payout and low fee. POOL BTC (1.5% FPPS, min 0.001 BTC) or EMCD (1.5%, PPLNS) are good fits. Avoid pools with a 0.005 BTC minimum -- you could wait weeks for a payout on a small farm.
Will I lose profitability when switching pools?
Not if you choose carefully. Compare actual hashprice ($/PH/day) not just the fee percentage: a 0% fee pool on FPPS+ may pay less than a 1.5% PPS pool if its network hashrate is lower. Run a 3-day test before migrating fully.
Can I mine on two pools simultaneously?
No. An ASIC mines on one pool at a time. Pool 2 and Pool 3 slots are failover only -- they activate when Pool 1 is unreachable.