Benjamin Schiller

Benjamin Schiller is CoinDesk's managing editor for features and opinion. Previously, he was editor-in-chief at BREAKER Magazine and a staff writer at Fast Company. He holds some ETH, BTC and LINK.

Benjamin Schiller

Latest from Benjamin Schiller


Consensus Magazine

Riot Platforms at the Heart of Texas' Debate Over Bitcoin Mining’s Effect on the Grid

The world’s biggest bitcoin mine has drawn the ire of some local residents concerned with Bitcoin's community impact.

A close-up of one of Riot's mining rigs. (Riot Blockchain)

Opinion

Bitcoin Is on the Ballot in 2024

A series of bitcoin-related statements and policy announcements show how politicians are paying greater attention to crypto this campaign season. Crypto-skeptics, in particular, should pay attention lest they come across as anti-innovation. This story is part of CoinDesk's Mining Week 2023.

Bitmain Antminer mining rigs (Christie Harkin/CoinDesk)

Consensus Magazine

Ghost From the Well: Is Crypto Mining With Associated Gas Better for the Environment?

Oil and gas companies are keen to use gas that would normally be flared off to run bitcoin mining operations. But environmentalists claim the practice merely perpetuates the use of fossil fuels.

Gas flaring / Getty Images

Consensus Magazine

The Untold Story of Worldcoin’s Launch: Inside the Orb

Is Sam Altman’s UBI startup a smart countermeasure to AI, or a privacy nightmare? Jeff Wilser reports.

AuthorJeff Wilser stares into the Orb. (Jeff Wilser/CoinDesk)

Consensus Magazine

Through It All, the Bitcoin Mining Industry Looks Set for Growth

Though the Bitcoin halving will reduce rewards for miners, the prospects for the industry remain bright and innovations like Ordinals promise more demand for miner services in the future.

(Sandali Handagama)

Consensus Magazine

How Miners Are Preparing for the Next Bitcoin Halving

Bitcoin’s fourth “halving” next April poses miners with strategic questions around equipment, energy use and diversification.

(James MacDonald/Getty Images)

Consensus Magazine

How Texas Became a Global Mecca for Bitcoin Mining

Miners have flocked to the state since China banned mining in 2021, encouraged by cheap energy, grid incentives and an alignment of values. “Bitcoin is all about freedom,” says one miner. “And in my dealings with the utilities and the regulators, Texas is all about freedom.”

(Getty Images)

Consensus Magazine

Crypto Miners Are Pivoting to AI (Like Everyone Else)

Miners are repurposing their cooling systems, security and access to cheap energy to take advantage of the AI boom. ASIC machines are harder to convert.

(Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images)

Opinion

To Survive the New Era of Robot Spam, Look to Crypto’s History

Human communication systems are under threat from linguistic robots (AI). But the same spammy problem helped lead to the creation of Bitcoin.

(Rachel Sun/CoinDesk)

Consensus Magazine

Tokenization News Roundup: Real-World Assets Come to Blockchains

A weekly digest of articles, reports and analyses about tokenized RWAs, the fast-growing financial instruments that merge traditional finance to the blockchain.

hand holding globe against hip, sun dappled outdoor setting