US miners face 10% rig tariff despite $80K Bitcoin

US-based Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) mining firms are accelerating mining rig purchases following a temporary tariff pause announced by the Trump administration, though concerns remain over long-term competitiveness due to the 10% base tariffs still in effect.

President Donald Trump halted broader reciprocal tariffs until July 8 but retained a minimum 10% levy on most countries, with China facing a sharply higher 145% rate.

Hashlabs CEO Jaran Mellerud said that while the reduced rate offers short-term relief, it leaves US miners “at a clear disadvantage” compared to international competitors.

“These tariffs aren’t enough to make mining in the US unprofitable,” he explained.

“But it definitely raises capital expenditure and will impact the long-term viability of new investments.”

Mellerud also warned that “a short-term spike in machine imports” is likely as firms attempt to front-run potential future increases.

ASIC mining equipment, mainly produced in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, is subject to steep tariffs of 36%, 32%, and 24%, respectively, under the original tariff announcement made on April 2.

The price of imported rigs is already rising, according to Luxor Technology’s chief operating officer Ethan Vera.

“US-landed machines have run up in price, as have contracts with onshore assembly,” Vera told Cointelegraph.

He added that the unpredictability of tariff policy will “certainly hurt growth” in the US mining sector.

Mellerud noted that this instability makes it difficult for companies to plan capital-intensive expansions, stating, “What miners need is predictability and stable rules — not policy whiplash every few months.”

In light of these challenges, Vera said Luxor is now reevaluating its expansion strategy and may turn to international markets.

Despite President Trump’s stated desire for Bitcoin to be “made in the USA,” miners argue that current policies create uncertainty rather than support for domestic growth.

At the time of reporting, the Bitcoin price was $81,274.70.