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- Microsoft ends its free online crypto mining services
- Sets new rule that posits that mining must be only by approval
Microsoft, a US tech conglomerate, will no longer allow cryptocurrency miners to operate freely on its Azure platform. This is the outcome of a new policy that indicates that moving forward, any such endeavors must only be done by what it terms as “written pre-approval”.
This brings Microsoft into the same category with the likes of AWS, Digital Ocean, Oracle, and Google, mega-companies that do not allow unfettered access by crypto miners on their platforms. This recent initiative by Microsoft extends to even its paid customers.
Likely Reasons for the Ban
Although not much explanation was offered as to what led to this, and customers only saw the updated policy terms which took effect on Dec 1, the tech giant intends to use the measure to shield “the partner ecosystem” from the many hazards of the cryptocurrency sector, which can create a sort of impairment on its cloud services.
It is also a consideration that the cryptocurrency business serves as a haven for several illegal activities such as internet fraud. Furthermore, the crises-riddled and scandal-driven state of the Crypto industry currently, is impacting the value of several tokens adversely. That could be a worrisome development for Microsoft because miners may be unable to offset their financial obligations to it. And so, in a bid to treat this in a gentlemanly form, Microsoft decides to discontinue its free mining access without giving much explanation to its users.
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