Mining can be crypto’s first line of defense—if it embraces radical transparency

The following is a guest post and opinion from Jill Ford, Founder of Bitford Digital.

The DOJ’s seizure of roughly $1 million tied to BlackSuit ransomware is more than just a win against cybercrime. It’s a sign that crypto is maturing under regulatory scrutiny. Contrary to the myth of anonymity, most on-chain activity leaves a traceable ledger, and investigators are getting better at following it.

This new reality reshapes the conversation around digital assets. Instead of debating whether crypto is inherently good or bad, the question becomes: how do we build legitimate systems, particularly at the mining level, that reinforce transparency, compliance, and trust?

Crypto’s Dual Reality: A Challenge and an Opportunity

The DOJ’s $1 million seizure from BlackSuit reminds us of crypto’s paradox. Digital assets can fuel crime, but they can also empower regulators to crack down on it. The blockchain is both the battleground and the evidence log.

For miners, this paradox should be seen not as a threat but as an opportunity. By rooting platforms in verifiable transparency, mining companies can help tilt the balance in crypto’s favor. They can become the first line of defense in ensuring that digital assets are seen as transparent, enforceable, and ultimately trustworthy.

Mining is the lifeblood of most blockchain ecosystems. Without miners, there is no security, no transaction verification, no network integrity. Yet the mining industry often flies under the radar in conversations about regulation, overshadowed by the headlines around exchanges, wallets, and token volatility.

But mining is where legitimacy begins, and recent regulatory moves underscore this point. In March 2025, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance confirmed that Proof-of-Work mining does not constitute a security under U.S. law, recognizing miners as network operators rather than speculative investors. This official recognition frames mining as a legitimate, compliant activity at the heart of blockchain’s credibility.

Transparent, compliant mining operations serve as the foundation for everything built on top of them. If the mining process is opaque, susceptible to manipulation, or tied to questionable practices, the entire ecosystem suffers from a credibility deficit.

Conversely, if mining platforms are rooted in auditable operations, they provide the trust necessary for digital assets to be embraced by regulators, institutions, and the mainstream public. And if criminals are exploiting weak links in the crypto infrastructure, it is incumbent on the mining community to ensure that their operations are not among those weak links.

Building Mining Platforms for Trust

Legitimacy in mining starts with transparency and regulatory alignment. Whether it’s about energy sources, infrastructure, or cost, platforms that are open about their operations signal credibility and build trust with both regulators and partners.

Just as important, miners that proactively engage with regulators rather than resist oversight are setting themselves up for long-term sustainability. In an environment where skepticism runs high, compliance becomes a key differentiator.

The risks of opacity are also clear. A July 2025 analysis on cloud-mining schemes highlighted that a lack of transparency around ownership, registration, and KYC/AML compliance remains the biggest red flag for fraud. In contrast, mining platforms that openly share their practices not only protect investors and regulators from abuse but also elevate the reputation of the entire ecosystem.

Equally critical are sustainability and security. Energy consumption remains one of the most contentious issues in crypto, and mining platforms that demonstrate renewable practices or efficiency gains will be far better positioned to weather scrutiny and attract institutional investment.

At the same time, miners must safeguard their networks against abuse. Investing in monitoring systems and security safeguards is no longer optional; it is essential to ensuring that mining supports, rather than undermines, the compliance readiness of the broader digital asset ecosystem.

What Good Looks Like

Here’s what mining legitimacy, operationalized, should look like:

• Transparency: Publish energy mix, facility locations (region-level), pool affiliations, and real-time hashrate; audit with a third party annually.
• Compliance: KYC/AML on hosting clients; beneficial-ownership attestations; sanctions screening; clear policies on transaction filtering vs. neutrality (and why).
• Security: Continuous monitoring, incident-response runbooks, wallet hygiene for treasury, and segregation of duties.
• Sustainability: Disclose energy sources, efficiency metrics (J/TH), curtailment participation, and third-party verification.

Put simply, regulatory clarity combined with transparent, secure practices positions mining as one of the first lines of defense in crypto’s legitimacy. When miners demonstrate compliance and responsibility, they don’t just protect their operations—they also help set the standard for the entire digital asset sector.

By embracing these principles, miners do more than protect their own operations. They contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem, ensuring that headlines about ransomware seizures are balanced by stories of responsible innovation and growth.

The evolution of digital assets will continue to be shaped by this dual role of crime on one side, regulation on the other. But miners have the chance to set the tone for what comes next. The DOJ’s takedown of BlackSuit should be a wake-up call: radical transparency is not optional—it is existential.

If the mining sector leans into transparency, compliance, and sustainable practices, it will not only safeguard itself against regulatory backlash but also help unlock the full potential of digital assets. Crypto’s future won’t be written by criminals or regulators. It will be built by miners who measure, publish, and prove their integrity.