The City Council of Fort Worth, Texas passed a pilot program for Bitcoin mining, which will operate S9 Antminer mining machines in the city hall.

The sixth-largest city in Texas, Fort Worth, has partnered with the Texas Blockchain Council to launch a Bitcoin mining pilot program. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker stated, "We will be the first city in the world to mine Bitcoin on-site at a city facility."

During the city council meeting on the 26th, Fort Worth approved a resolution to operate three Antminer S9 mining machines donated by the Texas Blockchain Committee at the City Hall, aiming to position Fort Worth as a technological leader. Lee Bratcher, chairman and founder of the Texas Blockchain Committee, stated that Fort Worth is positioning itself as the Bitcoin mining capital of Texas, with the entire country already establishing itself as the world's Bitcoin mining capital.

Mattie Parker stated that this is a very small opportunity for Fort Worth, but it could bring significant return on investment.

According to Fort Worth's estimates, each Bitcoin miner will consume energy "similar to a household vacuum cleaner," and the mining costs are expected to be offset by the cryptocurrency. These three Antminer S9 machines are expected to mine approximately 0.06 Bitcoin per year, equivalent to about $2,300 in present value.

Fort Worth plans to evaluate the program starting in October and reassess it after six months to understand the potential impact and opportunities of Bitcoin. The direction will be based on the amount of Bitcoin mined, energy consumption, and public awareness of technology and cryptocurrency in Fort Worth. This will include the evolution and future prospects of cryptocurrency, potential gaps in current laws and regulations, and how the government and city hall interact with cryptographic technology.

However, even with Fort Worth's policy support for mining, not all citizens are on board. Some citizens argue that the city's plan is a Ponzi scheme due to environmental and legal concerns, stating that Bitcoin mining should not be the city's focus, and that "this city does not need to endorse or accept blockchain, Bitcoin, or any non-dollar currency."

After China's crackdown on mining companies, Texas has become one of the world's major mining regions, actively amending legislation to welcome mining businesses.

This article is authorized to be reproduced from Horizon News Network