What is Bitaxe?

What is Bitaxe?

What is Bitaxe?

Bitcoin mining is rapidly evolving, and one question resonates among new and veteran miners alike: what is Bitaxe? Bitaxe is a revolutionary, fully open-source, standalone Bitcoin mining device built for home miners. Unlike traditional mining rigs controlled by corporations, Bitaxe empowers individuals to mine Bitcoin quietly, from the comfort of their home. It combines the spirit of Bitcoin’s original vision; sovereignty, decentralization, and innovation, with cutting-edge ASIC chip technology. Whether you’re seeking a quiet bitcoin miner or exploring solo mining, Bitaxe represents a transformative shift in how Bitcoin is secured.

what is bitaxe?
Bitaxe is the world’s first fully open-source Bitcoin mining ASIC machine.

 

The Mission Behind Bitaxe

To fully understand what is Bitaxe, you must appreciate its mission. In Bitcoin’s early days, mining was accessible to anyone who downloaded the Bitcoin software, allowing everyday users to secure the network using standard computers. Over the years, however, mining consolidated into the hands of large mining farms equipped with expensive, specialized hardware, sidelining individual miners. Bitaxe was created to reverse this centralization, offering a grassroots alternative: a crypto mining machine anyone can build, use, and customize. By enabling home mining with advanced ASIC chips, Bitaxe restores Bitcoin’s decentralized ethos. With open-source firmware like AxeOS and freely available schematics, Bitaxe empowers users to solo mine, modify hardware, and innovate without corporate interference.

what is bitaxe?
The Bitaxe hardware and firmware are fully open source. The documents are available at https://bitaxe.org/.

 

How Bitaxe Works: The Basics

At its core, Bitaxe is a compact bitcoin mining rig powered by state-of-the-art ASIC chips; the same technology used in large industrial miners. It connects exclusively via Wi-Fi, simplifying setup and eliminating the need for complex configurations. Bitaxe mines Bitcoin along with other SHA-256 coins and provides user-friendly software interfaces. Many models feature onboard OLED displays showing hash rate, temperature, efficiency, and other vital stats. Bitaxe miners can function as solo bitcoin miners when connected to a personal Bitcoin node or participate in “lottery mining,” attempting to solve blocks in a no shared reward pool for a chance at a significant payout. To learn more about solo mining and lottery mining, see our in-depth articles on each of these topics: What is a Solo Miner? and What is Bitcoin Lottery Mining?

Why Bitaxe is Different from Traditional Miners

Unlike bulky, power-hungry miners requiring specialized cooling, Bitaxe prioritizes efficiency, quiet operation, and accessibility, making it the ideal quiet ASIC miner for home environments. With power consumption as low as 18–60 Watts, a Bitaxe can cost as little as $2.50 per month to run, depending on electricity rates; comparable to leaving a light bulb on. Bitaxe eliminates the need for expensive infrastructure, offering an affordable, open-source platform. Its modular design encourages tinkering, learning, and optimizing your bitcoin solo miner experience, setting it apart from industrial rigs.

solo mining calculator
Using the Solo Satoshi Bitcoin mining calculator, we can see the Bitaxe Gamma costs approximately $2.49 per month to run. The equivalent of an LED lightbulb!

 

Home Mining Revolution: Bitaxe’s Role

In 2025, home mining has never been more accessible, and Bitaxe leads the charge. With global energy markets fluctuating and mining centralization threatening Bitcoin’s security, small-scale solo miners are vital. Bitaxe fits seamlessly into home setups, enabling users to contribute to Bitcoin’s network without massive investments. Whether running a quiet bitcoin miner in your apartment or experimenting with lottery mining, Bitaxe makes home mining practical and impactful.

Solo and Lottery Mining: Securing Bitcoin Your Way

Solo mining with Bitaxe involves connecting the device to your own Bitcoin node infrastructure, using Ocean’s DATUM protocol or Public-Pool, to independently mine Bitcoin. Lottery mining refers to using someone else’s node or pool infrastructure. Solo mining is good for decentralization but incurs some additional costs for node hardware, while lottery mining is more convenient and affordable due to utilizing someone else’s.

 

solo mining bitcoin
Umbrel offers a great plug and play Bitcoin node, which makes solo mining Bitcoin really easy! You can see our guide: How to solo miner using Umbrel for more information.

 

Quiet Bitcoin Miner: Bitaxe’s Design for Home Use

Bitaxe stands out for its minimal noise and heat footprint. Unlike industrial rigs that generate excessive heat and require noisy, high-powered cooling systems, these devices use small and silent fans, producing negligible warmth and earning their reputation as quiet ASIC miners. Home users can operate their device in bedrooms, offices, or garages without disturbance or thermal concerns, making it the top choice for a quiet bitcoin miner.

Bitaxe Gamma
The Bitaxe fits seamlessly on bookshelves, end tables, computer desks, or any small space in your home!

 

What Makes Bitaxe Open-Source?

Every Bitaxe is open source by design, with hardware schematics, AxeOS firmware, and assembly guides publicly available on the web. Users can build, modify, or enhance designs, fostering innovation and preventing Bitcoin mining monopolization. When asking what is Bitaxe, recognize that “open source” is its core philosophy, driving Bitcoin’s decentralization. The open-source model also leverages network effects: global contributions from developers accelerate improvements, enabling Bitaxe to evolve faster and achieve higher performance than proprietary systems. This collaborative ecosystem ensures rapid firmware updates, hardware optimizations, and community-driven innovation.

Complete Overview of Bitaxe Models

Let’s explore the historical line up, so that you can get an idea of how this revolutionary concept is improving over time.

Bitaxe Max: World’s First Open-Source Bitcoin Miner

  • ASIC Chip: BM1397 (Antminer S17 series)
  • Hashrate: ~250-450 GH/s
  • Power: ~15 Watts
  • Efficiency: ~33.3-60 J/th

Bitaxe Ultra: Second Revision

  • ASIC Chip: BM1366 (Antminer S19XP)
  • Hashrate: ~300-600 GH/s
  • Power: ~15 Watts
  • Efficiency: ~25-50 J/th

Bitaxe Hex: New Multi-chip Concept

  • ASIC Chip: BM1366 (Antminer S19XP)
  • Hashrate: ~2.7-3 TH/s
  • Power: ~60 Watts
  • Efficiency: ~25-30 J/th

Bitaxe Supra: Fourth Revision

  • ASIC Chip: BM1368 (Antminer S21)
  • Hashrate: ~650 GH/s
  • Power: ~20 Watts
  • Efficiency: ~22 J/th

Bitaxe Gamma: Sixth Revision

  • ASIC Chip: BM1370 (Antminer S21 Pro)
  • Hashrate: ~1.2 TH/s
  • Power: ~18 Watts
  • Efficiency: ~15 J/th

Bitaxe GT (Gamma Turbo): The Future of Multi-chip

    • ASIC Chip: Two BM1370 chips (Antminer S21 Pro)
    • Hashrate: ~2.4-3 TH/s
    • Power: ~36-40 Watts
    • Efficiency: ~15 J/th

As you can see, with every major revision of the Bitaxe project comes more hashpower and efficiency. Hashpower is what mines Bitcoin, efficiency is what keeps your electricity bill low.

AxeOS: The Heart of Bitaxe Mining

All Bitaxe models run AxeOS, a custom, open-source firmware optimized for performance and flexibility, offering:

  • Web-based control panels
  • Frequency and voltage tweaking
  • Real-time stats (temperature, hash rate, efficiency)
  • Full transparency in operation

AxeOS empowers users to fine-tune their crypto mining machines, reinforcing Bitaxe’s open-source, decentralized ethos.

how to setup bitaxe
AxeOS is the Bitaxe operating system which displays real time Bitcoin mining data over Wi-Fi. Users can change device settings and monitor critical data on the daily basis.

 

The Growing Bitaxe Community

Bitaxe isn’t just hardware or frimware, it’s a movement. Online forums, GitHub repositories, DIY guides, and hubs like Solo Satoshi offer robust support. Whether troubleshooting your device or optimizing performance, the Bitaxe community embodies the collaborative, grassroots spirit of Bitcoin itself.

Why Bitaxe Matters in 2025

As Bitcoin matures and mining becomes industrialized, Bitaxe provides a critical counterbalance. By empowering independent home mining, it preserves Bitcoin’s decentralization, a cornerstone of its resilience. However, ASIC chip centralization remains a challenge, with a few manufacturers dominating supply. Companies like Block, Inc. and Auradine are addressing this by developing more accessible ASIC chips, potentially diversifying availability and supporting projects like Bitaxe. Understanding “what is Bitaxe” means seeing it as a tool to protect Bitcoin’s ethos against corporate and supply chain consolidation.

what is bitaxe
The customer submitted photos never fail to amaze us. This individual built an awesome frame to display their 12 Bitaxe Gammas!

 

The Future of Bitaxe

The importance of solo bitcoin miners will grow as regulations and surveillance encroach on corporate mining. Bitaxe’s relentless innovation and open-source DNA position it at the heart of this shift. As a solo miner today, you’re not just mining, you’re contributing to a decentralized, permissionless future for Bitcoin.

Conclusion: What is Bitaxe? A Revolution in Your Hands

The question “what is Bitaxe?” has a clear answer: Bitaxe is freedom. It is an open-source, accessible, customizable Bitcoin mining platform designed for anyone, anywhere. Whether using lottery miner, or running a serious solo bitcoin miner operation, Bitaxe represents empowerment.

In 2025, Bitaxe isn’t just another crypto mining machine, it’s a symbol of decentralization, a tool for sovereignty, and a glimpse into the future of Bitcoin mining. The revolution is in your hands!

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