Oman unites legal miners: mandatory connection to the state pool
Oman demonstrates a sovereign approach to regulating the mining industry. The country has officially launched a national mining pool, participation in which becomes mandatory for all licensed cryptocurrency miners within the state. This decision marks a transition from fragmented mining to a centralized control model.
The initiative was implemented by Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology in partnership with Frontier Technologies. The key technology partner was Enegix Global, which provided a platform for ensuring liquidity and an infrastructure base. At the initial stage, the pool is expected to accumulate about 10 EH/s of computing power—a figure that already places Oman among notable regional players.
Since 2022, investments in mining infrastructure and data center construction in the Salalah Free Economic Zone have exceeded $700 million. Of particular note is a mining facility with a hydro-cooling system worth $370 million—one of the largest such facilities in the region.
Analytical commentary: The creation of a national pool is not just an administrative measure but a strategic step. Oman aims not only to control the distribution of capacity but also to secure a share of mining revenues while reducing the risks of illegal network connections. For miners, this means a loss of autonomy, but in exchange for legal protection and access to state infrastructure. The question is how competitive the national pool's fees will be compared to global players.