CleanSpark Faces $185 Million Tariff Dispute Over Chinese Bitcoin Mining Rigs

The US public bitcoin mining company CleanSpark Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSK) is confronting a potential tariff liability of up to $185 million after the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) alleged that the company’s Bitcoin mining rigs imported in 2024 were of Chinese origin. According to a disclosure in its Q2 2025 filing, CleanSpark received invoices beginning May 27 asserting duties on miners imported from April to June 2024. The company’s fleet at the time consisted exclusively of Bitmain’s Antminers.

If CBP’s claim is upheld and duties are retroactively imposed on all relevant imports, CleanSpark estimates its total potential exposure at approximately $185 million, not including statutory interest, according to TheMinerMag. In response to this, CleanSpark disputes the CBP’s allegation, stating that importation documentation and supplier representations confirm the machines originated outside China and that its agreements align with that representation. The company maintains it has not made a financial provision for these charges, as it considers a cash outflow unlikely as of June 30, 2025.

This development arrives against a backdrop of broader regulatory scrutiny. CBP has increased its investigation into the declared origin of crypto mining equipment amid US trade enforcement measures on Chinese products.

CleanSpark Stock Drops 5% Amid Tariff Concerns

CleanSpark’s stock has reacted negatively to the tariff news despite the company reporting strong quarterly results. As of Friday, August 8, 2025, shares traded down by more than 5%, fluctuating between $9.82 and $11.35 during the week. The intraday decline reached -6.07% at $10.07, according to Yahoo Finance, reflecting investor concerns about the potential impact of the tariff dispute and broader weakness in crypto-linked equities.

This stock drop contrasted with otherwise positive quarterly results: CleanSpark posted Q3 revenue of $198.6 million and a net income of $257.4 million, with the company holding over $1 billion in Bitcoin BTC $116 919 24h volatility: 0.5% Market cap: $2.33 T Vol. 24h: $34.40 B and achieving a hashrate milestone of 50 exahashes per second entirely on US infrastructure.

IREN Faces Similar $100 Million Tariff Dispute

CleanSpark is not alone in dealing with tariff risks. Publicly-listed miner IREN is also facing a CBP tariff dispute, with the agency alleging that rigs imported between April 2024 and February 2025 were of Chinese origin. IREN disclosed a possible $100 million liability and, like CleanSpark, disputes the claim, citing supplier documentation and expressing intent to challenge the agency’s Notice of Action.

These cases highlight increasing scrutiny from US customs on the supply chains of cryptocurrency mining firms and signal that other miners may encounter similar regulatory challenges. The situation pushed Bitmain, the biggest bitcoin miner manufacturer, to begin planning to install a plant in the United States to avoid these tariffs.

The outcome of these disputes could set precedents for how the industry manages procurement and supply chain transparency at a time of rising US-China trade tensions. If CBP prevails, the economic consequences could reshape import strategies for the entire sector, and could be a big hit to the finances of Bitcoin mining companies.

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