EU’s Largest Telco Deutsche Telekom to Enter Bitcoin Mining

By Ben Knight June 17, 2024 In Bitcoin Mining, Europe
Dusseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany - September 9, 2021: Deutsche Telekom flags in Dusseldorf, Germany - Telekom is the largest telecommunications provider in Europe
Source: AdobeStock
  • The weekend’s BTC Prague Conference revealed several European innovators’ desire to enter the crypto sphere.
  • Perhaps the biggest name was Deutsche Telekom, Europe’s largest telecom provider, committing to begin mining Bitcoin in the near future.
  • Interestingly, Deutsche Telekom are set to introduce “digital monetary photosynthesis”, a novel way for companies to engage in Bitcoin mining in a sustainable maner.

Bitcoin has arrived. Institutions across the globe have jumped on the crypto train, snowballing from January 11th’s landmark decision by the SEC to approve spot ETFs. But in a spectacular announcement at the massive BTC Prague Conference, telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom announced they will officially begin mining Bitcoin.

Related: Many Don’t Understand The Importance of Trump Bitcoin Support, Says Samson Mow

Parent Company of T-Mobile Says “We Will” to Mining Bitcoin

Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of the US heavyweight T-Mobile, is already heavily involved in the crypto industry. 

Since 2023 we [are] running a Bitcoin node and we are running Bitcoin Lightning nodes as well.

Dirk Röder

The team also runs an Ethereum validator node and participates in liquid staking for the DeFi blockchain. 

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However, Deutsche Telekom is ramping up its involvement in 2024, with the company’s Head of Web3 Infrastructure, Dirk Röder, unveiling plans to begin mining Bitcoin in the near future. 

Telecom Provider to Unleash “Digital Monetary Photosynthesis”

Perhaps the most interesting takeaway from Deutsche Telekom’s appearance at the Conference was the concept of “digital monetary photosynthesis”. 

Concerns have been raised across governments about the amount of power Bitcoin mining drains. To stand a chance at successfully solving a BTC hash function, miners must use powerful machines that can process millions of numbers per minute. Naturally, this can have a negative impact on the environment. 

The details of how “digital monetary photosynthesis” will actually work are still a little murky. The presentation showed an image of nature being converted into power, suggesting that Deutsche Telekom plans to implement a mining method that exclusively utilises sustainable resources.

If successful, this method would be a massive coup for the industry. If companies can capitalise on the potential of Bitcoin mining – while having a minimal environmental footprint – it could be the catalyst for greater institutional involvement and superior decentralisation.

Ben Knight
Author

Ben Knight

Ben Knight is a writer and editor from Melbourne with a passion for all things music and finance. He enjoys turning complex topics – especially the technical details of cryptocurrency – into digestible bites that anybody can understand. He acquired his Master’s in Writing, Editing and Publishing from RMIT in 2019 and has run his own creative writing business ever since.

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