Oman unites legal miners into a single national pool — a new stage in industry regulation
A sovereign approach to cryptocurrency mining is taking a new turn: Oman has officially launched a national mining pool, which all licensed digital asset miners in the country are required to join. The initiative was implemented by Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology in partnership with Frontier Technologies, with Enegix Global providing the technological platform and liquidity infrastructure.
Hashrate Concentration Under State Control
In the first phase of the pool's operation, it is planned to consolidate approximately 10 EH/s of computing power. This is a significant figure for a region that is rapidly expanding its presence in the global mining ecosystem. The mandatory connection of all legal miners to a single pool is an unprecedented step that effectively creates a centralized control node over bitcoin mining on a national scale.
Since 2022, total investments in mining and data center infrastructure in the Salalah Free Zone have exceeded $700 million. This amount includes, in particular, the construction of a mining facility with hydro-cooling costing $370 million. Clearly, Oman is betting on industrial mining as a strategic direction for its economy, and the creation of a national pool is a logical step for monetizing and controlling this resource.
Expert Analysis
In my opinion, this decision is a striking example of how states are beginning to actively intervene in the bitcoin mining process, seeking not only to regulate but also to consolidate power. This could lead to a reduction in network decentralization in the region, but simultaneously increases transparency and accountability for local operators. Keep an eye on developments: if Oman's model proves successful, other countries in the Middle East and Asia may adopt it.