Lawmakers explore Bitcoin mining efficiency, broader crypto policy

On Jan. 20, the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee of the U.S. Congress House Energy and Commerce Committee convened a hearing to investigate the environmental effects of cryptocurrency mining. Despite the narrow focus, the conversation that ensued — which many industry experts appraised as a meaningful educational experience for the lawmakers — touched upon a range of blockchain-related issues and themes beyond energy consumption. Here is how it went down, and what comes next.

Witnesses set the frame

Following the opening remarks, the hearing kicked off with the witnesses delivering their testimonies. Bitfury CEO Brian Brooks made a point that it was up to the market to decide on the most productive ways to use the already produced energy and maintained that proof-of-work (PoW) is the consensus mechanism that is best suited to produce true decentralization of a blockchain network.

Getting to the bottom of crypto mining

Industry reception

Policy implications