Mining Pool Rewards: How Miners Earn and What Really Matters
When you mine cryptocurrency, you’re not working alone—you’re part of a mining pool, a group of miners who combine computing power to solve blocks and share rewards. This setup makes payouts more regular than solo mining, where you might wait months for one big win. The reward you get isn’t just from finding a block—it’s split based on how much work your rig contributed, measured in shares. Without a pool, most home miners would earn next to nothing. The real question isn’t whether you join a pool—it’s whether your hardware can even keep up in 2025.
ASIC miners, specialized hardware built only for mining Bitcoin and similar coins, have evolved fast. The old Antminer S9, once a popular choice, now uses 7 times more electricity per hash than new models like the S21. That means even if you get the same reward share from a pool, your electricity bill eats up your profit. Mining pool rewards only matter if your hardware is efficient enough to turn a profit after power costs. In places like Kazakhstan and Norway, where electricity rules are tightening, this gap between old and new gear isn’t just a technical detail—it’s the difference between staying in business or shutting down. And it’s not just about the machine. Pool fees, payout thresholds, and how often the pool finds blocks all affect your take-home amount. Some pools pay daily, others weekly. Some charge 1% fees, others 3%. These small differences add up over time.
What You’ll Find in These Posts
This collection dives into what actually drives mining profits—not hype, not guesses. You’ll see real comparisons between used and new hardware, how electricity laws in Kazakhstan and Norway are reshaping mining, and why Bitcoin’s halving schedule makes efficiency non-negotiable. You’ll also find posts that explain how mining pools operate behind the scenes, how block rewards shrink over time, and why some miners are switching away from proof-of-work entirely. There’s no fluff here—just what works, what doesn’t, and what’s about to change.