Bitcoin’s Shadow Mining Rises Again in Xinjiang, China

China accounts for 14.05% of global Bitcoin hashrate, according to Luxor’s latest report. Despite the 2021 ban, shadow mining in Xinjiang continues to grow.

China’s share of global hashrate climbs higher

According to Luxor Technologies’ Q4 2025 Global Hashrate Map, China now represents 14.05% of Bitcoin’s total computing power, or about 145 EH/s. That’s a slight rise from 13.8% in Q3, keeping the country as the third-largest Bitcoin mining hub behind the United States and Russia.

The report reinforces what industry insiders have long known — Bitcoin mining never fully left China after the 2021 crackdown. Instead, many operations moved off-grid, particularly to regions with low-cost energy and limited oversight.

Xinjiang emerges as China’s hidden mining hub

Throughout 2025, several sources from the ASIC distribution network reported increased rig shipments into the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. However, due to the secrecy surrounding post-ban operations, verifying these claims remains difficult.

Xinjiang covers roughly one-sixth of China’s landmass and offers vast, sparsely populated terrain rich in energy resources. Its isolation and industrial infrastructure have historically made it an ideal region for large-scale Bitcoin mining. Following the national ban, these same conditions have made it a stronghold for off-grid and unlicensed mining activity.

Shadow mining continues despite enforcement risks

Over recent months, Chinese-language posts on X have circulated rumors of raids on mining facilities in Xinjiang, allegedly involving the seizure of hundreds of thousands of ASICs. While unconfirmed, such reports reflect the ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamic between regulators and underground miners.

The data from Luxor’s latest update reaffirms that China’s Bitcoin mining power never truly disappeared. It merely retreated into the shadows — and in those shadows, the country remains one of the key forces shaping the global hashrate.