The Kodak KashMiner (Image: Corinne Reichert/ZDNet)
Plans to use the Kodak-branded bitcoin miner labelled "KashMiner" have been abandoned, according to a report, after critics panned the planned return on investment for those using the machines.
According to a report by the BBC[1], Spotlite CEO Halston Mikail said the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had prohibited the scheme from proceeding.
According to the BBC, Mikail said the company will now privately run the bitcoin mining operation using equipment installed in Iceland.
Iceland has been used by bitcoin miners thanks to its lower energy costs[2] due to its climate and access to renewable energy including hydroelectric, solar, and wind power -- although earlier this year, criminals stole around 600 servers from Icelandic datacentres[3] worth around $2 million being used to mine cryptocurrency.
The BBC added that Kodak has claimed the KashMiner was never licensed by the company.
The Kodak KashMiner was displayed during CES 2018[4] at the photography company's booth, with Kodak Blockchain Project licensee Spotlite Energy Systems of California showcasing the product.
At the time, the Kodak licensee had said an upfront payment of $3,400 for a two-year contract would lead to bitcoin production value of around $375 per month at the then-bitcoin value of around $14,000. At the time of writing, bitcoin is a touch over $6,700.
The partnership would provide the licensee with half of the resulting $9,000 made over the 24-month period.
Bitcoin production would reach around $25 per day on the Kodak Bitcoin HashPower Upfront Payment Plan.
The bitcoin miner was showcased on the same day that Kodak announced its own KodakCoin cryptocurrency