Oman introduces mandatory national pool for Bitcoin miners: centralization of mining or a new standard?
Oman is transitioning to centralized management of cryptocurrency mining. The country's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, together with Frontier Technologies, has launched a national mining pool. All licensed miners are required to connect to this infrastructure. Enegix Global provided the technological foundation and liquidity support.
This decision is not merely an administrative measure but a strategic step towards full control over the industry. Consolidating capacities into a single pool allows the state to regulate hash rate distribution, manage revenues, and likely minimize risks associated with illegal capital outflows or network attacks.
At the initial stage, the pool will aggregate approximately 10 EH/s of computing power. This is a significant figure for the region, considering that since 2022, investments in mining and data centers in the Salalah Free Zone have exceeded $700 million. A key project is a $370 million hydro-cooled mining facility — one of the largest in the region.
From my perspective, Oman's initiative could set a precedent for other Middle Eastern countries seeking to legalize while simultaneously imposing strict control over the crypto industry. However, mandatory linkage to a national pool creates risks: dependence on a single operator and a potential reduction in decentralization, which contradicts Bitcoin's philosophy. Nevertheless, for Oman, this is a way to attract institutional investors and strengthen its reputation as a reliable jurisdiction for mining.