Chain Reaction on ASIC Innovation and Hardware Decentralization

Driving the Future of Bitcoin: Chain Reaction on ASIC Innovation and Hardware Decentralization

Chain Reaction recently participated in Consensus 2025 and Bitcoin 2025, where our VP Customer Success, Malcolm Chen, joined panel discussions focused on the evolution of ASIC manufacturing, system-level innovation, and the decentralization of mining hardware.

At Consensus 2025, in the panel titled Innovations in ASIC Design, led by Nishant Sharma of BlocksBridge Consulting and joined by Earl Mai of ePIC Blockchain, Chen discussed Chain Reaction’s development of a 3nm ASIC targeting sub-10 J/TH efficiency, as well as the company’s early access to TSMC’s 2nm process. He highlighted the complexity of achieving optimal performance-per-watt, which requires close integration of analog and digital ASIC design disciplines.

Chen also emphasized the growing demand for modular systems, noting that miners increasingly require flexible hardware solutions tailored to their infrastructure rather than conforming to rigid standards.

🎥 Watch the full panel discussion

At Bitcoin 2025, Chen participated in a panel alongside Aviral Shukla (Altair Technology) and Matt Howard (Solo Satoshi), moderated by Colin Harper (Blockspace Media). The discussion focused on how emerging players can compete in a market historically dominated by a handful of ASIC manufacturers.

Chen outlined Chain Reaction’s approach to securing foundry capacity at advanced nodes (3nm and 2nm), which involves early engagement, long-term planning, and reliable execution. He also highlighted the importance of collaborative development models, where miners work directly with ASIC developers to define both chip-level and system-level requirements, an essential step in diversifying the ASIC supply chain and reducing industry concentration.