What is a bitcoin ASIC miner?

An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is an integrated circuit chip designed for a specific purpose. An ASIC miner is a computerized device that uses ASICs for the sole purpose of "mining" digital currency. Generally, each ASIC miner is constructed to mine a specific digital currency. So, a Bitcoin ASIC miner can mine only bitcoin.

What is bitcoin mining?

Bitcoin mining is the process by which new bitcoins are entered into circulation. It is also the way the network confirms new transactions and is a critical component of the blockchain ledger's maintenance and development. "Mining" is performed using sophisticated hardware that solves an extremely complex computational math problem.

Why is bitcoin so difficult to mine?

Bitcoin’s anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, envisioned a scenario of increased Bitcoin mining difficulty when more mining devices plug into the network. With the growing number of powerful mining devices, miners are incentivized to invest in ASIC hardware to give them the highest chance of successfully mining a block.

Can you run a bitcoin miner on a mobile device?

Running a miner on a mobile device, even if it is part of a mining pool, will likely result in no earnings. Bitcoin "mining" serves a crucial function to validate and confirm new transactions to the blockchain and to prevent double-spending by bad actors. It is also the way that new bitcoins are introduced into the system.