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Bitcoin Miner Riot Blockchain Buys Electrical Equipment Provider ESS Metron for $50M

The deal will ensure the steady supply of equipment for Riot’s new mining machines.

Updated May 11, 2023, 7:05 p.m. Published Dec 1, 2021, 3:57 p.m.
A close-up of one of Riot's mining rigs. (Riot Blockchain)
A close-up of one of Riot's mining rigs. (Riot Blockchain)

Riot Blockchain (RIOT), one of the world’s largest bitcoin mining companies, is buying electrical equipment provider ESS Metron for $50 million, consisting of up to 715,41 Riot shares and $25 million in cash, according to a press release.

  • Denver-based ESS Metron is a key supplier to Riot’s Whinstone, Texas, facility and provides “highly engineered, custom product offerings” that are used to deploy bitcoin mining operations at scale.
  • Riot said the acquisition will help ensure the timely installation of its new miners as ESS Metron provides critical infrastructure.
  • “Riot’s strategic position across the electrical supply chain is significantly enhanced as the company will benefit from ESS Metron’s existing relationships with leading electrical suppliers globally,” Riot CEO Jason Les said in the release.
  • Riot also said that ESS Metron has helped it develop its customized immersion-cooling technology for its 200 megawatt expansion project.
  • Riot shares were up 6.8% to $39.92 on Wednesday morning ET.
  • On Nov. 3, Riot Blockchain increased its forecast for bitcoin mining computing power to 8.6 exahash per second (EH/s) from its previous estimate of 7.7 EH/s for next year. The increase doesn’t include any potential benefits from the use of its immersion-cooled technology.

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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

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Tom Lee urges BitMine shareholders to approve share increase ahead of January 14 vote

Screenshot of Tom Lee on CoinDesk TV (CoinDesk)

The chairman of the former bitcoin miner-turned-ether treasury firm reiterated his view that Ethereum is the future of finance.

What to know:

  • Tom Lee, chairman of Bitmine Immersion (BMNR), urged shareholders to approve an increase in the company's authorized share count from 500 million to 50 billion.
  • Lee assured shareholders that the increase is not intended to dilute shares, but instead to enable capital raising, dealmaking, and future share splits.
  • Shareholders have until January 14 to vote on the proposal, with the annual meeting scheduled for January 15 in Las Vegas.