The 10 Entities That Helped Write Bitcoin’s Ledger

In Bitcoin’s early days, mining was done solo, with some participants commanding more hashrate than others, all while the hardware evolved from central processing units (CPUs) to graphics processing units (GPUs) and eventually to today’s application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). At the close of 2010, Marek Palatinus, also known as Slush, launched the first publicly recognized bitcoin (BTC) mining pool, aptly named Slush Pool, and it has since rebranded to Braiins Pool.

Here’s a comprehensive look at the top ten mining entities, the number of blocks they’ve discovered, and the identities behind them.

1. Unknown (25.25% / 229,922 blocks)

This category covers unknown miners whose identities remain hidden in the coinbase transaction. It includes Satoshi Nakamoto, early bitcoin participants, and other anonymous contributors active in the network’s formative years. While many of these blocks were mined before organized pools became the norm, a handful are still found today by unknown miners, though the practice has become increasingly rare.

2. Antpool (11.00% / 100,178 blocks)

Antpool ranks among the largest and longest-running mining pools in the industry. Once directly owned by Bitmain, Antpool no longer operates under the company’s umbrella but still maintains close ties to the firm. It has long been a leading contributor to Bitcoin’s hashpower and today stands as the second-largest mining pool by hashrate, just behind Foundry.

3. F2pool (10.15% / 92,382 blocks)

Founded in China in 2013, F2pool—originally known as Discus Fish—has grown into a leading multi-asset mining pool. Over the years, it has mined a sizable portion of blocks and continues to rank among the most influential pools, supporting a wide range of cryptocurrency networks beyond Bitcoin.

4. Foundry USA (6.39% / 58,175 blocks)

Foundry USA, a U.S.-based mining pool backed by Foundry Digital, a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, has quickly risen in prominence since 2020. Driven by North America’s mining boom and growing institutional interest, it now ranks fourth all-time in blocks found but leads the industry in hashrate as of 2025. In the past three days, Foundry has commanded about 32.42% of the network’s total hashrate.

5. ViaBTC (5.16% / 47,014 blocks)

Founded in May 2016 by Haipo Yang, ViaBTC is a Chinese‑founded mining pool that quickly gained prominence for its pioneering services and robust multi‑coin support. It introduced innovative payment methods like PPS+—a first in the industry—and supports mining across over 20 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, LTC, BCH, ETH, and KAS. Today, it serves a global user base of over 1.7 million users across 150+ countries, maintaining top rankings in hashrate.

6. Braiin’s Pool (4.53% / 41,283 blocks)

Founded by Marek Palatinus in November 2010 (originally under the name Bitcoin.cz or Slush Pool), Braiins Pool was the world’s first publicly available bitcoin mining pool. It introduced pooled mining with the innovative “Slush‑style” share system, enabling miners to combine computing power and earn predictable rewards. Today, it remains a key industry presence, renowned for its transparency, use of protocols like Stratum V2, and its contribution to mining decentralization.

7. BTC Guild (3.62% / 32,935 blocks)

Launched in 2011, BTC Guild quickly rose to prominence as one of the largest bitcoin mining pools, at times commanding more than 40% of the network’s hashrate. Operated by software developer Michael Marsee, it played a pivotal role in Bitcoin’s formative years, giving smaller miners reliable payouts. However, faced with growing regulatory uncertainty and rising industrial competition, the pool officially closed its doors in June 2015 after four years of influence.

8. Poolin (3.07% / 27,911 blocks)

Established in 2017 by former Btc.com executives, Poolin rapidly became one of the largest bitcoin mining pools worldwide, at one point ranking second by hashrate. Known for its multi-asset mining support and user-friendly services, the pool attracted a global following. However, by 2022, it faced liquidity and withdrawal issues that weakened its dominance, though its contributions during peak years left a lasting mark on Bitcoin’s mining history.

9. Ghash.io (2.54% / 23,083 blocks)

Operated by the crypto exchange CEX.IO, Ghash.io emerged in 2013 as one of the most powerful bitcoin mining pools of its era. In June 2014, it briefly surpassed 50% of the network’s hashrate, igniting widespread fears about centralization and a potential 51% attack. Although the pool’s dominance quickly waned, ongoing scrutiny and competitive pressures led to its closure in 2016, cementing its place in Bitcoin’s early mining history.

10. Binance Pool (2.30% / 20,965 blocks)

Launched in April 2020 by the global exchange Binance, Binance Pool swiftly entered the ranks of the top bitcoin mining pools, leveraging the platform’s vast user base and financial resources. It offers both proof-of-work mining and staking services, along with features like FPPS (Full Pay-Per-Share) payouts. Despite being a relatively new entrant, it has mined tens of thousands of blocks, cementing itself as a formidable force in the industry.

The Arc of Influence in Bitcoin’s Mining History

The distribution of mining power over time reveals not just who shaped Bitcoin’s foundation, but who might influence its future. As institutional players claim more hashrate and older entities fade, the balance between decentralization and dominance grows more delicate. The quiet evolution of mining pools may yet determine whether Bitcoin remains trustless—or merely governed by different gatekeepers.

Behind every mined block lies a strategic shift in technology, governance, and ambition. From anonymous pioneers to corporate-backed pools, Bitcoin’s chain is a living artifact of economic and ideological competition. While mining remains permissionless, influence accrues in patterns, suggesting that power within the network may be more fluid—but not necessarily more distributed—than many might assume.

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