13 Nation-States Now Mine Bitcoin as Hashrate Tops 1 ZH/s
Sovereign miners rather than private operators are driving Bitcoin's hashrate recovery in early 2026. Former CoinRoutes CEO Dave Weisberger argues governments are converting stranded energy into seizure-resistant reserves, with at least 13 nation-states now mining Bitcoin at governmental or state-linked levels.
Key Takeaway
Thirteen governments mining Bitcoin marks a shift from retail-driven networks to sovereign energy deployment.
Former CoinRoutes CEO Dave Weisberger posted on X on February 23 arguing that Bitcoin's hashrate rebound from below 900 EH/s to above 1 ZH/s signals sovereign mining operations stepping in where private miners pulled back. The network had dropped 15% to 20% from prior peaks before the recovery pushed difficulty up nearly 15%. He said governments are converting stranded or strategic energy into a portable, verifiable, seizure-resistant reserve asset.
Weisberger said these operations mine for policy reasons: revenue without printing more local currency, network security in which they hold a direct stake, and positioning in a world where financial sovereignty matters. Bhutan, UAE, and El Salvador mine alongside Russia, Iran, and Ethiopia deploying energy assets into mining infrastructure.
The hashrate recovery took months to materialize because sovereign mining expansion requires hardware procurement, energy contracts, infrastructure buildout, and policy approvals. Weisberger compared the pattern to gold's surge above ₱288,717 ($5,000) per ounce this cycle, where sovereign buying came first and price discovery followed later. Governments are voting with energy infrastructure and balance sheets, with Bitcoin trading at ₱3,649,897 ($63,209) at press time.
This article was written based on reporting from NewsBTC.
