Crypto Mining With Phones: Sneak-Peak for Enthusiasts

As it is often reported in the media, crypto mining requires massive computing power, unique skills, specialized hardware, and a lot of energy.

It needs advanced equipment like video cards, central processors, video card rigs, or special devices such as ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays are semiconductor devices used for a dedicated purpose). 

However, that is not always the case. Crypto miners these days are also indulging in mining cryptocurrencies using smartphones.  

What is Crypto Mining?

Crypto mining is a process where miners generate a new set of crypto assets and add them to the market. It primarily involves the validation of transactions and minting new tokens by solving complex mathematical puzzles.

The blockchain acts as a decentralized ledger that is stored in several locations at the same time, and the network contributors regularly update it with new transaction information.  

While it is widely known that crypto mining requires unique skills, powerful equipment, and a high amount of energy.

However, the lesser-known fact is that now, you can even mint crypto via smartphones.

Mobile phones these days have central processing units and graphics cores that are comparable in power to the desktop computers that existed a decade ago.

If you wish to know more about crypto mining via mobile phones, this article is all you need to begin your quest. 

Can You Mine Cryptocurrency Through Smartphone?

Technically, crypto-mining using your cellphone is not different from mining on a PC or a specialized device. Any modern phone consists of a central processor and a graphics core.

While it is not pragmatic to compare them to the actual computer equipment, they can perform complex calculations. 

It works somewhat in the same way as the PC works. You have to install mining software on your device, adjust the settings, and start mining cryptocurrency.

As these applications are free to install, and your phone is the hardware, you have to bear just two types of costs:

• Cost of electricity
• Internet charges

As of today, there are several instances where people have been using this method. In fact, there are crypto miners who have assembled full-fledged cryptocurrency farms that use mobile phones to mine crypto.

While the process might seem quite realistic, it is not financially practical to purchase a phone specifically to mine crypto.

However, if you have a dozen of smartphones to spare, and the electricity and internet connection in your area are extremely cheap, you may think of setting up such ventures. 

Most mobile-based miners tend to use Android devices to mine crypto. This is because, in the case of iOS devices, it is impossible to use 32-bit systems for mining, which renders the old models of iPhones useless.

Moreover, even the 64-bit versions of iOS are pretty much unprofitable due to the specificity of components and increased power consumption. 

Advantages of mobile mining

• You wouldn't have to invest money in purchasing computers, laptops, rigs, or special equipment. 
• In the case of phones, you don't need to look for the flagship model to mine. More or less any modern device should work just fine.
• You don't need any special skills as most Android-based mining applications are pretty much intuitive and have user-friendly and straightforward interfaces. 
• The only cost that you have to bear is the electricity cost and the internet charges, thus reducing the costs to barely a minimum. 
• Mining via your Android/iOS device would not require much attention. Once you install the application and set it up, you can leave it for weeks without even touching your device. Thus, the process is not going to take your time in any way. 

Disadvantages of mobile mining

• The mining process using mobile is not economically feasible as it wouldn't fetch you more than $10-15 per month if you keep your device working 24 hours a day 7 days a week without any halt. 
• As companies do not design smartphones to bear such loads, the wear and tear of the devices render them useless within no time. 
• As the process requires an internet connection, a lack of fixed Wi-Fi points would bring minimal income when you mine crypto using your mobile. 

Steps Involved

1. Find a workable device: There is no point in purchasing a mobile specifically for crypto mining. Indulge in mobile-based crypto mining only if you have a few smartphones that you don't use. 
2. Install the special software built for crypto mining over mobile devices. 
3. Register yourself on these applications: Most of these often require a verification step like an email confirmation, etc. 
4. Adjust the basic settings as per instructions. Configure the working process of the app, decide the crypto you are willing to mine, and how much power you would allocate. 
5. Provide an unhindered power supply because minting crypto via mobile phone is only viable if you put it on 24/7 mode. 
6. Give access to an internet connection, and ensure that the source of the internet is maintained at all times. 
7. Run the mining software: It will do everything on its own. All you have to do is check from time to time to ensure that it is not switched off and that the network isn't cut, and that the stability of the software is maintained. 

Best Android phones for crypto mining

The Android phones that serve as some of the best options for crypto mining include:

• ROG Phone 5 from Asus
• Galaxy S21 Ultra (Samsung)
• The OnePlus 8T
• The Xiaomi Mi 10
• iQOO 3

Bitcoin mining apps for Android

Here is a list of some Bitcoin mining apps for Android that you can opt for:

• Binance
• Storm Play
• Sweatcoin
• Coin Club
• Alien Run
• Free Bitcoin
• Blockchain Game
• BTC SAFARI
• Kryptex

Is it worth it to mine crypto via smartphones?

While mining crypto might sound quite inviting, doing it via Android is not profitable. Mostly, if you don't delve much into the setup and optimization of the device, it would barely cover the cost of electricity.

And assuming that your device works 24/7 without any breakdown or hindrance of any sort, you will manage to idealistically earn just $10-15 per month per device.

It is much more profitable if you indulged in purchasing and selling cryptocurrency via crypto exchange platforms. Several sites even offer the facility of staking, which serves as an alternative to mining.

To add to it, you wouldn't need any equipment for the calculation to get rewards. All you need to do is hold a certain amount of relevant cryptocurrency on a particular deposit. The longer you hold it, the greater would be the reward. 

With mobile-based crypto mining, we cannot give it a tag of a profitable means. If you wish to become a crypto miner, your best bet would be to purchase mining gear and join a mining pool.

All being said, if you still wish to indulge in crypto mining via mobile phones, at least now you have an idea of how to do it.