If you seriously consider mining in 2026, you need to understand that the choice of equipment determines everything. I looked at the current ASIC miner market, and here’s what’s visible: power is increasing, prices are biting, but there are options for different budgets.

Currently, the most powerful ASIC for Bitcoin is the Antminer S23 Hyd from Bitmain — 580 TH/s at 5510W, efficiency of 9.5 J/TH. Released in January of this year, the liquid cooling works as it should. For $17,400, this is for professional farms, not for home use. If your budget is smaller, the S21 XP Hyd delivers 473 TH/s, costs $10,170 — also a serious machine. The versatile S21 with 200 TH/s for $4,599 is suitable for both beginners and experienced miners.

For Kaspa, there is the KS5 Pro — 21 TH/s, $15,000. Kaspa is currently one of the most profitable coins to mine, so competition for this equipment is fierce. From Canaan, there is the Avalon A1466 — 150 TH/s, $1,500, a good choice if you’re looking for an affordable option.

MicroBT WhatsMiner M66 is an alternative to Bitmain — 247 TH/s, $4,767, immersion cooling. On the Scrypt algorithm (Litecoin, Dogecoin), the Antminer L9 operates — 16 GH/s, $5,584, but they sell out quickly after release last September.

For Monero, there is the Antminer X5 — 212 KH/s, $2,999, the first RISC-V processor from Bitmain. For Ethereum Classic and other EtHash coins, Innosilicon A10 Pro ETH is suitable — 500 MH/s, $1,900, the oldest in the list but still operational.

When choosing equipment, look not only at power. Calculate electricity costs — this is the main expense. Liquid cooling is more expensive but saves on cooling and noise. Air cooling is easier to maintain. Profitability depends on the coin’s price, network difficulty, and your electricity costs.

ASIC cannot be repurposed for anything else — it’s only for one algorithm. Therefore, the choice of currency is important. Bitcoin requires ASIC; consumer hardware won’t help there. But there are other coins where ASIC might be more profitable.

If you want to start with serious equipment, consider that you will need not only the cost of the ASIC itself but also hosting, maintenance, and electricity. Mining can be profitable, but it’s not passive income — it requires knowledge and constant monitoring.