Chinese manufacturer Bitmain, the world’s leading producer of Bitcoin mining equipment, has become the subject of an investigation to determine whether its products pose a threat to US national security.
It all began last year with a New York Times investigation into several facilities linked to the Chinese Communist Party operating near a Microsoft data center serving the Pentagon and an Air Force nuclear missile base in Wyoming. Many of these facilities were equipped with Bitmain hardware.
In July, a Senate Intelligence Committee report claimed the manufacturer’s devices could be used for manipulation from China and presented «a number of troubling vulnerabilities» for the US.
That’s why the Department of Homeland Security initiated Operation Red Sunset, an investigation that assessed the capabilities of remotely controlled devices to spy on and hack the US power grid.
The investigation included an examination of the chips and firmware of Bitmain equipment stopped at US ports. Investigators also looked into potential violations in the calculation of customs and import duties.
Officials declined to release the findings because the Department of Homeland Security «does not comment on active investigations.»
Bitmain, for its part, states that it “strictly complies with US laws and regulations and has never engaged in any activity that poses a threat to US national security.”
A law enforcement investigation has focused attention on US President Donald Trump’s sons, who are expanding their involvement in the Bitcoin mining sector. In August 2025, their joint venture with Hut 8, American Bitcoin acquired 16,000 Bitmain devices for $314 million.
In American Bitcoin They were quick to assure that the company had conducted extensive safety testing of the equipment and had found no potential threats.