The US Senate has taken one other step towards reshaping the tech panorama – and probably including new strain to crypto miners — with the passage of the GAIN Act, a proposal embedded within the upcoming Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA).
The measure, formally often called the Guaranteeing Entry and Innovation for Nationwide Synthetic Intelligence Act of 2026, would require chip producers to prioritize US consumers earlier than exporting superior AI and high-performance computing processors abroad. It additionally introduces tighter export licensing guidelines, permitting Congress to dam shipments of top-tier chips and mandating licenses for any {hardware} containing superior built-in circuits.
The transfer is geared toward strengthening home entry to scarce computing assets – a rising drawback since main US companies, together with Nvidia, have reported yearlong backlogs for his or her strongest chips.
For an trade already squeezed by commerce tariffs and rising import duties, this may very well be a harsh blow. Earlier this yr, new reciprocal tariffs between the US and China triggered a steep drop in crypto costs and made mining rigs costlier to supply. American mining firms reminiscent of CleanSpark and IREN have already confronted multimillion-dollar penalties linked to disputes over {hardware} origins and customs classifications.
If the GAIN Act is enacted in its present type, it may amplify these challenges, leaving US-based miners much less aggressive towards worldwide rivals with cheaper entry to gear. Such an consequence would undermine one of many Trump administration’s core financial targets – to cement the USA as the worldwide hub for crypto mining and blockchain innovation.
The invoice nonetheless requires approval from the Home of Representatives and a presidential signature, however even the prospect of recent export limits has already despatched ripples via the crypto infrastructure sector, the place {hardware} entry stays the spine of profitability.
