Solo Miner Nets $200K from $150 Bitaxe Device — Odds 1 in 18,000 Years
By John Nada·Jul 14, 2026·4 min read
A solo Bitcoin miner defies 1 in 18,000-year odds, earning $200K with a $150 Bitaxe device.
In a remarkable tale of luck and technology, a solo Bitcoin miner with a Bitaxe device managed to mine Bitcoin block 957,382, walking away with 3.1382 BTC, valued at $200,000. The odds of such a feat were estimated at once in 18,000 years, making this achievement akin to winning a digital lottery.
The Bitaxe device, priced between $60 and $150, is an open-source ASIC miner that utilizes the Bitmain BM1370 chip, the same chip found in the industrial-grade Antminer S21 machines. Despite its small size, comparable to a credit card, the Bitaxe delivers a hash rate of 1 to 1.3 terahashes per second while consuming just 15 to 21 watts of power. This efficiency and affordability make the Bitaxe a popular choice among hobbyist miners.
Solo mining has seen a resurgence recently, with solo miners discovering 24 blocks in the past year alone, a 41% increase compared to the previous year. These miners have collectively earned 75.44 BTC. Notably, this is the second instance where a single Bitaxe has successfully mined a block on the Public Pool, a testament to the potential of solo mining.
The Public Pool, where the miner achieved this success, is a platform that allows individual miners to pool resources and share rewards. The platform posted about the miner's success on X, highlighting the potential rewards of solo mining despite the astronomical odds.
The broader mining industry, however, is facing challenges. Many large Bitcoin mining companies are experiencing squeezed margins, prompting a shift towards artificial intelligence and related infrastructures to maintain profitability. The mining difficulty, a measure of how hard it is to mine a block, dropped 5% to 127.17 trillion on July 12, following a more than 10% plunge in mid-June.
Despite these challenges, the success of solo miners like the one with the Bitaxe device provides a glimmer of hope for individuals looking to make their mark in the Bitcoin mining world. These stories of unexpected triumph serve as reminders of the potential for success, even amidst a challenging industry landscape.
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This isn't the first time solo miners have achieved remarkable results with minimal investment. On June 29, another solo miner on Solo CKPool managed to earn 3.16 BTC, further illustrating the potential rewards of solo mining. Back in May, a miner utilizing a small cluster of 14 Canaan Nano devices, totaling 157 terahashes per second, successfully mined a block on Braiins Solo.
The rise of solo mining can be attributed to several factors, including advancements in technology that make powerful mining equipment more accessible to individuals. Devices like the Bitaxe allow solo miners to participate in the Bitcoin ecosystem without the need for large-scale operations or significant capital investment.
The potential for significant rewards, as demonstrated by recent solo mining successes, continues to attract new entrants to the field. However, it is important to remember that the odds remain challenging, and success stories like the Bitaxe miner's are rare.
As the Bitcoin mining landscape continues to evolve, the stories of solo miners achieving success against the odds offer valuable insights into the potential of individual initiative and innovation in the crypto space. While larger firms pivot towards AI and other technologies, the solo mining community remains a vibrant and dynamic part of the Bitcoin ecosystem.
The Bitaxe device itself represents a significant innovation in the world of Bitcoin mining. By utilizing the same chip as larger industrial machines, it provides individuals with the tools they need to compete in a traditionally resource-intensive industry. This democratization of mining hardware could potentially lead to further innovations and successes in the future.
As we look to the future of Bitcoin mining, the stories of solo miners like the one with the Bitaxe device serve as a powerful reminder of the potential for success, even in the face of daunting odds. The continued evolution of mining technology and the resilience of the solo mining community are likely to shape the industry's trajectory in the years to come.