Tether Launches Open‑Source MiningOS to Challenge Bitcoin Mining Giants

Stablecoin issuer Tether has launched an open-source Bitcoin mining operating system, a move that places it directly into the mining infrastructure layer traditionally dominated by large, vertically integrated firms.

The software is called Mining OS, or MOS, and was announced on Feb. 2 during the Plan 9 Forum in San Salvador and is being marketed as a production-ready system that can be deployed by mining operators of all sizes.

Tether claimed MOS would be used to control, observe, and automate Bitcoin mining through a single control layer by integrating hardware performance, energy consumption, site infrastructure, and operational data.

Tether’s MOS Replaces Patchwork Mining Software With a Single System

Mining of Bitcoin usually uses disjointed software stacks to manage machine usage, power infrastructure, cooling, and logistics of the site.

MOS seeks to replace that patchwork by treating each component as a coordinated “worker” within one operating system, allowing operators to see and manage their entire setup in real time.

The company claimed that the system monitors more than just hashrate but also monitors energy efficiency, device health, and site-level infrastructure.

The company also noted that it has a peer-to-peer and modular architecture that can be deployed on lightweight hardware in small deployments or on industrial sites with hundreds of thousands of machines.

Tether characterized MOS as robust and adaptable, and not dependent on the centralized third-party software providers.

Tether also announced a Mining Software Development Kit, or Mining SDK, which is the base of MOS, that will be released together with the open-source community in the near future, alongside the operating system.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino observed that the move to open-source the mining stack was to minimize the barriers to entry as well as lessen its reliance on proprietary platforms.

Bitcoin Miners Struggle for Breathing Room After 2025 Downturn

The launch comes at a difficult moment for the Bitcoin mining sector.

Miners experienced one of the most severe profitability squeezes in the industry’s history as the Bitcoin price continued to experience a downturn since 2025.

Network hashrate climbed from around 800 exahash per second at the start of the year to a peak of roughly 1.15 zettahash per second in October, pushing mining difficulty to record levels.

At the same time, the post-halving block reward of 3.125 BTC and declining transaction fees reduced revenue per unit of hash.

By late 2025, the hash price had fallen to around $35 to $40 per petahash per second per day, while the average cash cost for public miners was estimated near $44.

All-in production costs, including depreciation, were importance higher.

Even operators with efficient fleets and low-cost power were operating close to breakeven, and debt levels rose as companies financed new hardware and infrastructure upgrades.

Entering early 2026, some pressure has eased. Network hashrate has fallen below 1,000 EH/s for the first time since September, dipping to 870 EH/s at points following winter storms and reduced profitability.

Difficulty has adjusted downward several times, and hashprice has shown modest improvement.

Analysts have said the pullback could temporarily improve margins for remaining miners, though competition remains intense.

Against this backdrop, Tether’s move into mining software adds to its expanding footprint across the digital asset ecosystem.

Best known as the issuer of USDT, Tether reported more than $10 billion in net profit in 2025 and has expanded into tokenized gold through XAUT, and payment partnerships like Opera’s MiniPay wallet.

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