Oman centralizes mining: licensed miners are required to operate through a single national pool
A sovereign approach to cryptocurrency mining is gaining momentum in the Middle East. Oman has officially launched a national mining pool, which all licensed mining companies in the country are required to join. The project was implemented by Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology in collaboration with Frontier Technologies, with Enegix Global providing the technological platform and liquidity infrastructure.
At the initial stage, the unified pool is expected to concentrate approximately 10 EH/s of computing power. This is a significant figure, considering that since 2022, total investments in mining and data center infrastructure in the Salalah Free Zone have exceeded $700 million. In particular, a hydro-cooled mining facility worth $370 million was launched.
This policy indicates that Oman aims for full control over the distribution of hashrate within the country. Instead of allowing miners to independently choose pools (often registered in jurisdictions with unclear regulations), the authorities are creating a single point of entry. This increases operational transparency for the regulator and simplifies monitoring of compliance with licensing requirements.
From a market dynamics perspective, concentrating 10 EH/s in a single state-run pool is not only a security issue but also a signal to global players. Oman clearly intends to become a regional hub for institutional mining, offering a stable regulatory environment in exchange for loyalty. However, one must ask: could such centralization lead to a reduction in the decentralization that Bitcoin was originally created for?
My analysis: Oman's move is logical for a state seeking to monetize its energy resources and attract major investors. However, miners should carefully examine the pool's terms—fees, payout policies, and potential restrictions on fund withdrawals. In a scenario where the pool is controlled by the government, any geopolitical risks could directly impact operational profitability.