EMCD, a top-ten Bitcoin mining pool, rolled out a Miner Support Program on July 27, 2026, offering up to $30 million in secured liquidity, fee waivers, and partner discounts. The move comes as Bitcoin's hashprice has cratered to roughly $28 per petahash per day — a 50% plunge from its October 2025 peak and the lowest level since the last halving, according to CoinShares Q1 2026 data. With an estimated 252 EH/s of hashrate already taken offline and three consecutive negative difficulty adjustments — the first such streak since July 2022 — the program is a direct response to what the pool calls a survival moment for miners.
The state of mining
The numbers are brutal. Hashprice, a measure of daily revenue per unit of hashrate, has been cut in half from its 2025 high. Older-generation hardware, once profitable, is now being unplugged en masse. Hashrate Index data cited by CoinCentral in April 2026 pegged the offline hashrate at 252 EH/s, as operators running less efficient rigs found margins no longer viable. The three straight negative difficulty adjustments — a rare event not seen since July 2022 — signal broad capitulation across the sector, not just a few stragglers.
What EMCD is offering
EMCD's program includes secured liquidity facilities at 3.9% APR, zero pool commission for 60 days, preferential pricing on Vnish firmware, and special terms on equipment and data center services through its partner network. The pool, which has operated since 2017 and processed over 4,550 BTC mined by its users in 2025, is also inviting hardware manufacturers, data centers, and hosting providers to join the program by offering exclusive terms to eligible miners. EMCD currently commands over 30 EH/s of hashrate, serves users across 120+ markets, and was named Best Mining Pool by Coingape in 2026 and Finance Feeds in 2025.
Why the timing matters
This isn't the first downturn miners have faced, but the post-halving compression is hitting hard. With block rewards halved and transaction fees volatile, many operators are burning through cash reserves. EMCD's program is structured to give miners breathing room — low-interest loans to cover operating costs, zero pool fees for two months, and discounts on firmware and hosting. Michael Jerlis, Founder & CEO of EMCD, said the program is a commitment to providing miners with tools to survive downturns. No further details on how many miners have applied or the total funds disbursed so far were disclosed.
EMCD is actively recruiting partners to expand the program's reach. Hardware makers, data centers, and hosting providers that join can offer their own exclusive terms to miners who qualify. The pool hasn't set a deadline for applications, but with hashprice still under pressure and difficulty expected to adjust again in the coming weeks, the window for miners to secure favorable terms may be tight. The industry will be watching whether other pools follow EMCD's lead — or if the consolidation wave accelerates.
