Coindesk Logo

As Ethereum Merge Looms, Michael Saylor Pushes Back Against Bitcoin's Energy Critics

As Ethereum Merge Looms, Michael Saylor Pushes Back Against Bitcoin's Energy Critics

As Ethereum Merge Looms, Michael Saylor Pushes Back Against Bitcoin's Energy Critics

The bitcoin maximalist, executive chairman of MicroStrategy and recently alleged tax evader says the Bitcoin network’s output is 100 times greater in cost than its input.

The bitcoin maximalist, executive chairman of MicroStrategy and recently alleged tax evader says the Bitcoin network’s output is 100 times greater in cost than its input.

The bitcoin maximalist, executive chairman of MicroStrategy and recently alleged tax evader says the Bitcoin network’s output is 100 times greater in cost than its input.

AccessTimeIconSep 14, 2022, 7:16 PM
Updated Apr 9, 2024, 11:37 PM
Michael Saylor merch at BTC 2022 (Danny Nelson/CoinDesk)
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Michael Saylor doesn’t believe the Bitcoin network has negative environmental impacts.

The Bitcoin maximalist, executive chairman of MicroStrategy and alleged tax evader said Wednesday in a letter that mining is “the most efficient, cleanest industrial use of electricity.” He said that Bitcoin’s mechanism is 100 times greater in its output cost than its input.

Estimates place the annual energy consumption of Bitcoin on par with that of a small country. But proponents of the original cryptocurrency and its energy-intensive proof-of-work consensus mechanism argue that much of the burn comes from green sources, like wind and solar.

In the PoW model, miners race against each other to add new blocks to the chain. But other popular blockchains are eschewing PoW. Ethereum’s pending Merge upgrade to a proof-of-stake consensus system is intended to significantly reduce those environmental concerns.

In Saylor’s telling, it's not so simple. He argued that “dedicated energy” powering these devices will move to “generic computers,” redistributing efficiency that would not limit carbon emissions. Saylor has previously pledged to defend Bitcoin against energy critics as a founding member of the Bitcoin Mining Council.

Saylor said the negative sentiments surrounding PoW mining tend to “distract regulators, politicians [and] the general public” from proof-of-stake-based cryptocurrencies, which are “generally unregistered securities.”

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Cam Thompson was a news reporter at CoinDesk.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.