Как проверить регуляцию хостинга майнинга: полный гид

How to Verify a Mining Hosting Provider: A Complete Due Diligence Guide for Investors

Introduction for the Investor

Choosing a mining hosting provider is not just renting a shelf in a data center; it is managing a portfolio of risks: financial, technical, legal, and operational. Scandals like the VBit Technologies case, where the founder misappropriated nearly $50 million in client funds, clearly demonstrate that outward legitimacy does not guarantee integrity. An unverified provider can lead to the loss of not only income but the equipment itself.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is intended for investors, operational teams, and legal consultants working with medium and large batches of mining equipment (10 devices or more). It focuses on concluding formal hosting agreements rather than retail purchases or cloud mining.

Purpose and Scope

The goal is to provide you with a step-by-step algorithm for a comprehensive due diligence check of a provider. By following this checklist, you will be able to filter out suspicious offers, minimize risks, protect your assets, and ensure real control over your equipment.

Briefly for the Busy (TL;DR)

If you have little time, here is the minimum necessary set of actions:

Legal Verification:
Ensure the company is registered in a reliable jurisdiction (USA, Canada, EU), and the contract explicitly secures your ownership rights to the equipment.
Equipment Verification:
Demand a video of your devices showing serial numbers and a real-time hashrate demonstration. Serial numbers must be known before the main payment.
Technical Control:
Ensure you are provided with direct read-only access to the miner's web interface and the right to connect to any mining pool of your choice.
Secure Payment:
For large deals (over $10,000), use an escrow service (e.g., Escrow.com). Pay only to the company's bank account specified in the contract.
Exit Plan:
The contract must clearly state the mechanism, timeline, and cost for returning your equipment.

Part 1: Legal and Financial Verification

An opaque legal structure and a vague contract are primary signs of fraud. Your task is to ensure you are dealing with a real company and that the contract protects your assets in any situation.

1.1. Company and Jurisdiction Verification

Registration and Status:
Request registration data (name, number, address) and verify them in the official government registry (e.g., Companies House in the UK, your state registry in the USA). The company status must be "Active".
Jurisdiction:
Give preference to countries with a strong and predictable legal system (USA, Canada, EU countries, UAE). Offshore zones or countries with unstable cryptocurrency regulations carry increased risks for judicial protection.
Provider AML/KYC:
Clarify if the provider has its own AML policy. Reputable companies conduct KYC on their clients and employees. Request information on the reputation check of the provider's key wallets via services like Chainalysis or Crystal Blockchain. Transactions over $10,000 linked to high-risk sources should be a cause for escalation.

1.2. Contract Analysis: Mandatory Clauses

The contract is your primary defensive document. Do not agree to a public offer. Insist on including the following points in an individual contract.

Ownership and Chain of Custody:

Example:
"The Equipment (Model: [Antminer S19 Pro], Serial Numbers: [SN1, SN2...]) is the full and indisputable property of the Client from the moment of its acceptance by the Provider at the facility. The Provider has no right of ownership, lien, or other encumbrance on the Equipment. In the event of the Provider's bankruptcy, the Client's claims for the return of the Equipment shall take priority over the claims of unsecured creditors."
SLA (Service Level Agreement) with Specific Metrics:
Example:
1. Guaranteed Uptime:
  The Provider guarantees power and network connection uptime at a level of 99.9% per month.
2. Compensation:
  For every full hour of downtime exceeding the guaranteed level, the Client receives a credit note in the amount of 200% of the hosting cost for that hour (monthly fee / 720 hours × 2).
3. Repair:
  Incident response time — 1 hour. Diagnostic period — 4 hours. Maximum on-site repair time — 48 hours. If the period is exceeded, the Provider is obliged to provide replacement equipment with an equivalent hashrate.
Force Majeure and DC Liquidation Procedure:

Example:
"Force majeure does not include: revocation of licenses, bankruptcy of electricity suppliers, or labor disputes. In the event of an occurrence leading to the termination of the Data Center's activities, the Provider is obliged to notify the Client 60 days in advance and ensure unhindered dismantling and removal of the Equipment within 15 business days after receiving the request."
Equipment Return Procedure:

Example:
"The Client has the right to terminate the contract by notifying the Provider 30 days in advance. The cost of dismantling, packing in factory packaging, and preparation for shipping is $50 per device. The Provider is obliged to prepare the Equipment for shipping within 10 business days after payment of the invoice."

1.3. Payment Security and Escrow

Bank Transfer:
Pay only to the official bank details of the legal entity specified in the contract.
Escrow Services:
For equipment purchase deals through the provider, use escrow.
- Escrow Workflow:
  1. Agreement:
    Parties agree on the terms of the deal (equipment SNs, deadlines, acceptance criteria) with an escrow agent.
  2. Deposit:
    The Buyer deposits funds into the escrow agent's account.
  3. Verification (Acceptance Criterion):
    The Seller provides evidence (verification video, web interface access).
  4. Confirmation:
    The Buyer confirms to the agent that the conditions have been met.
  5. Release of Funds:
    The Agent transfers the funds to the Seller.
- Recommended Services:
  Escrow.com (fiat), Bitrated (cryptocurrency).

Part 2: Data Center and Infrastructure Verification

Words about "reliability" must be backed by facts: certificates, technical specifications, and transparent processes.

2.1. DC Criteria and Certification

Certificates:
Request confirmation of key standards:
- Uptime Institute Tier (III or IV): Guarantees redundancy of key systems (N+1) and the ability to perform maintenance without stopping operation.
- ISO 27001: Information security standard.
- SOC 2 Type II: Audit report on security, availability, and confidentiality controls.
- PCI DSS: Mandatory if the provider processes payment cards.
PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness):
Target indicator — < 1.4. Request independent audit reports or access to data from PDU sensors and cooling systems for verification.
Physical Security:
Ensure there is a multi-level system: perimeter fencing, 24/7 security, CCTV system with recordings stored for at least 90 days, and an Access Control and Management System (ACMS) based on biometrics or smart cards.

2.2. Power Supply and Billing

This is the foundation of your income. Ambiguity here is unacceptable.

Power Supply Contracts:
Clarify if the DC has direct long-term contracts with power generation companies or works through intermediaries.
Metering:
Consumption should be measured by individual meters per kWh at your cell/rack level.
Rates and Billing:
- Fixed Rate ($/kWh):
  Transparent, but may be higher than market.
- Variable (Pass-Through):
  You pay the real market price + DC commission. More profitable in the long run but requires monitoring of invoices.
Responsibility:
The contract must specify who is responsible for the periodic calibration of meters.
Power Limits:
Clarify maximum consumption values and the power distribution plan in case of restrictions from the energy supplier.

2.3. Physical Access and Remote Hands

Access Protocol:
Who, under what conditions, and with what notification has the right to physically intervene with your equipment?
Remote Hands SLA:
Standard operations (rebooting, connecting a console), reaction time (e.g., 15 minutes), and cost must be defined.
Video Recording:
Demand that all operations with your equipment be recorded on video.
Physical Access for You:
Clarify the procedure, timing, and cost for organizing your visit to the DC for auditing or maintenance.

Part 3: Equipment Verification and Technical Control

"Paper miners," existing only in words, are a fraud classic. You must receive irrefutable evidence of the reality and functionality of the assets.

3.1. Practical Equipment Verification

Serial Numbers (SN):
Obtain the SN of each device before the main payment.
Video Confirmation (one continuous take):
- Start:
  The video shows a piece of paper with your name, current date, and time.
- Inspection:
  The camera slowly pans around the device, focusing closely on the SN sticker.
- Operation:
  It shows the connected cables and a computer screen with the web interface of this specific miner open, showing current hashrate, uptime, and lack of errors (HW errors).

3.2. Detailed Hashrate Verification

Do not trust screenshots alone.

Data Matching:
Compare data from the miner's web interface with reports from your mining pool (number of accepted shares, stratum connection log). Acceptable deviation (including a pool commission of 1–2%) should not exceed 3%.
Payout Audit:
Regularly monitor the payout history from the pool to your wallet. Any anomalies are a reason for inspection.
Access to Logs:
Demand access to the provider's monitoring system logs (e.g., Zabbix, Grafana) for your devices.

3.3. Logistics and Customs Clearance

If you are purchasing equipment through a provider, this point is critical.

Responsibility (Incoterms):
The ideal option for you is DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), where the Seller bears all costs and risks until delivery to the DC.
Customs Documents:
Ensure the provider prepares a full set of documents:
- Commercial Invoice.
- Certificate of Origin.
- Export Declaration (for EU — EORI/ICH).
Shipping Insurance:
The cargo must be insured for its full value during transportation.

Part 4: Incident Response and Bankruptcy Plan

A good partner is defined by how they act in a crisis.

Equipment Repatriation Plan:
The contract must have a clear action plan in case of DC closure or provider bankruptcy. Who is the contact person? What is the procedure?
Creditor Contacts:
In case of bankruptcy proceedings, it is important to have contacts for the court-appointed trustee or the representative of major creditors to claim your rights to the equipment.
SLA vs. Insurance:
- SLA covers operational failures (downtime due to DC fault) and is compensated with credits for future payments.
- Insurance Policy covers catastrophic events (fire, theft, flood) and involves a monetary payout. Ensure you are the beneficiary of the policy regarding your equipment.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Summary Checklist for Quick Check (1-page PDF version)

Category	Checkpoint	Status
Jurisdiction	Company is registered in a reliable jurisdiction (USA, Canada, EU).	[ ]
Contract	Ownership rights to equipment are secured.	[ ]
Contract	SLA with financial liability (Uptime >99.5%, compensations) is defined.	[ ]
Contract	Return procedure and cost for equipment are specified.	[ ]
Verification	SNs received before payment, video confirmation with hashrate provided.	[ ]
Tech Control	Read-only access to web interface is guaranteed.	[ ]
Tech Control	Ability to connect to any pool is confirmed.	[ ]
Infrastructure	DC is certified (Tier III+, ISO 27001, SOC 2).	[ ]
Infrastructure	Transparent billing by meters (kWh).	[ ]
Payment	Corporate bank account or escrow service is used.	[ ]
Plan B	Contract includes a plan for DC bankruptcy/liquidation.	[ ]

Appendix 2: Decision Matrix (Go/Inspect/Reject)

Criterion	✅ Go (Proceed)	⚠️ Inspect (Needs Clarification)	⛔️ Reject (Decline)
Jurisdiction	USA, Canada, EU, UAE	Neutral countries with unclear regulation	Offshores, sanctioned countries
Contract	Individual, with ownership, SLA, exit plan	Public offer, vague phrasing	No contract, cloud mining disguised as hosting
Verification	Full video with hashrate on first request	Photos only, response delays	Refusal to provide evidence
Pool Access	Free choice of any pool	Insisting on a "recommended" pool	Only provider's own pool
Payment	Bank transfer to corporate account, escrow	Offers crypto payment to a general wallet	Requirement to transfer to personal card/wallet
DC Certification	Tier III/IV, SOC 2, ISO 27001	No public certificates, words only	Placement in "garage" or container without standards

Conclusion

Thorough verification takes time and attention to detail, but it is the best investment in protecting your capital. Every missed point in this guide is a potential risk that may cost you far more in the future than the few days spent on due diligence.

How to Check Mining Hosting for Regulation: A Guide