An Incredible Exploit: A Solo Miner Earns $260,000 In Bitcoin With A Device Costing Less Than $100

Bitcoin mining is no longer reserved for the industry giants. Gone are the overpriced equipment like the Bitmain Antminer S21 Hydro or the long mining pools. A lone miner just hit the jackpot with a pocket machine costing less than $100. This quasi-miraculous victory proves that it is still possible to mine bitcoin solo, but under what conditions?

A solo Bitcoin miner hits an unimaginable jackpot: luck or revolution?

In a universe where industrial farms dominate the game, seeing a solo miner validate a Bitcoin block is a prodigy. On March 12, 2025, an anonymous individual scooped up 3.125 BTC ($260,000) with a simple Bitaxe . This small device of 480 GH/s defied all odds, succeeding where machines 500 times more powerful fail.

With a one in a million chance per day, this feat could have taken 3,500 years on average to achieve. Yet, the frequency of these successes is accelerating: in just one year, several independent miners have managed to secure a block, showing that the dream is still possible.

• A total of 297 solo miners have validated a block via solo.ckpool;
• Record reward: 3.15 BTC, including transaction fees;
• A market dominated by machines at 230,000 GH/s, crushed by a simple Bitaxe.

Some unprecedented stories of rewards from solo bitcoin miners

These figures frighten all bitcoin enthusiasts: should we see it as a sign that solo mining is still alive or just a mirage in the desert of hashrate?

More accessible mining equipment, but at what price?

So far, mining has been dominated by ultra-efficient ASICs, boasting impressive hashrates and often prohibitive prices. Yet, an outsider has recently distinguished itself: the Bitaxe Gamma 601 . With only 1.2 TH/s for a price of around $158, it does not compete with giants like:

• Bitmain Antminer S21 Hydro: 335 TH/s for several thousand dollars;
• Whatsminer M63 Hydro: 360 TH/s, an energy-hungry beast.

Simplified comparison table of mining rigs based on CPU, GPU, FPGA, and ASIC.

So, how to explain that such a modest device allowed a solo miner to hit the jackpot? The strength of the Bitaxe lies in its open-source approach and low energy consumption, allowing enthusiasts to try their luck without breaking the bank.

This success serves as a reminder that optimization and perseverance can still make a difference against the giants of the industry.

To maximize the profitability of their setup, some miners opt for:

ASICs with low energy consumption to monetize every kilowatt;

• Exploiting hydropower or other cheap sources;
• Recycling mining heat to heat a home;
• Automating performance according to electricity cost;
• Strategically choosing mining periods to limit expenses.

The Bitaxe Gamma 601 is not a technological revolution, but it proves that affordable and well-used bitcoin mining equipment can still offer improbable opportunities to independent miners.

Mining Bitcoin at home in 2025: an illusion or a reality?

With the rise of pools and industrial farms, the idea of mining bitcoin from your living room seems like a dream. Competition is fierce, energy costs are soaring, and the giants of the industry scoop up most of the rewards.

Yet, some diehards cling to their machines, convinced that with a good strategy, domestic mining can still pay off big.

Far from simple nostalgia, these lone miners adopt innovative solutions:

• Consumption optimization: choosing ASICs with low energy consumption to reduce costs;
• Exploiting areas with cheap electricity: hydropower in South America or solar surplus in California;
• Recycling heat: some use the heat from ASICs to warm their home or greenhouse;
• Automating mining cycles: dynamically adjusting power according to fluctuations in electricity costs;
• Long-term strategies: mining during low-competition periods and storing BTC while waiting for price increases.

If hope remains, the viability of solo mining rests on rigorous management and a high tolerance for risk. Integration into mining farms, in complement, remains a safer option for those seeking more stable returns.

While mining BTC alone can be profitable for the luckiest, it remains a risky and unpredictable option. For those who want to optimize their chances without too much randomness, integrating into a bitcoin mining farm remains a wise and more stable long-term strategy.