CleanSpark opposes US Customs claim that it will be liable for $185 million in retrospect tariffs that allegedly imported Chinese-made Bitcoin miners in 2024. Disputes arise in the company’s record revenues.
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- CleanSpark faces the possibility of a $185 million tariff dispute from US Customs over alleged Chinese origins of Bitcoin Miners imported in 2024.
- This dispute occurs because CleanSpark recorded third quarter revenues, with a net profit of $257.4 million and a revenue growth rate of 91%.
- Similar scrutiny has impacted fellow miner Aylen, highlighting the broader US customs enforcement regarding the import of crypto mining hardware.
According to an August 8 report from Theminermag, the US Customs and Border Protection began claiming Cleanspark in late May 2025, demanding payment for anything that claimed Bitmain importers’ imports had been inappropriately declared between April and June 2024.
According to the report, CBP claims that a machine born from China was born from China, and is subject to sudden punitive tariffs under ongoing US trade restrictions. However, CleanSpark alleges that the supplier has provided documentation certifying that the miners were manufactured outside of China.
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$185 million Origin Questions and Clean Spark High Stakes Defense
According to the report, if US Customs and Border Protection wins that claim, Cleanspark could face an astounding $185 million in retrospective tariffs. The fine represents nearly 70% of net income for the third quarter of 2025 and does not include additional statutory profits.
Agency invoices cover all Bitmain Antminers imported between April and June 2024. This is the period during which Cleanspark’s fleet was made up of only these machines. The company has not set a reserve for potential liability, citing the unlikely payments made by the June 30 application, but this amount represents one of the largest customs facilities in crypto mining history.
CleanSpark’s defense lies on two pillars: a purchase agreement specifying the origins of non-Chinese language and a document provided by the supplier claims to validate compliance. “The claim has no merit,” the company said in its SEC filing, suggesting that CBP’s ratings are inconsistent with both paper marks and contractual guarantees.
A pattern appears
CleanSpark does not navigate this challenge alone. Another public miner, Aylen, disclosed a $100 million CBP dispute in early 2025 on similar allegations regarding imports between April 2024 and February 2025. In either case, neither company blames false dependence on manufacturers.
The overlapping timelines and increased debt suggest a broader, more aggressive US customs crackdown on the declaration of origin of cryptocurrency mining equipment. This enforcement push adds a layer of complexity to the operational risks that miners must manage beyond the power of the market, and implies supply chain transparency as a key driver for the industry’s future.
Record profits meet regulatory headwinds
As CleanSpark celebrates the most profitable quarter, a tariff dispute lands. On August 7, the company reported net income of $257.4 million, revenue growth rate of 91% year-on-year, and Bitcoin Treasury Department, currently exceeding $1 billion.
CEO Zach Bradford emphasized that the results were achieved “from November 2024 without raising capital through equity offerings.”
With a working capital of $933.3 million, CleanSpark was able to absorb a potential $185 million hit, but it was unable to sacrifice strategic initiatives such as newly launched derivative strategies and planned hashrate expansions.
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