🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 99 (from laksa056)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa099.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin","crawl_time":1774858370,"first_indexed_time":1620863772,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,theguardian!www,\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin s443","src_root_hash":"4161074618625082499","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Elon Musk says Tesla will no longer accept bitcoin due to fossil fuel use | Tesla | The Guardian","meta_descriptions":["Digital currency, which is made with an energy-intensive process, falls 17% after the tweet"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Tesla has suspended customers’ use of bitcoin to purchase its vehicles,\nElon Musk\nsaid on Wednesday, citing concerns about the use of fossil fuel for bitcoin mining.\nBitcoin, the world’s biggest digital currency, fell almost 17% after the tweet to its lowest point since the beginning of March. It recovered slightly in Asian trading but was still off 12% at $50,933\nearly on Thursday morning.\nMusk said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more\nsustainable energy\n.\n“We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use <1% of bitcoin’s energy\/transaction,” Musk said.\nMusk said in March that\nTesla\ncustomers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin.\nThe digital currency is created when high-powered computers compete against other machines to solve complex mathematical puzzles, an\nenergy-intensive\nprocess that currently often relies on electricity generated with fossil fuels, particularly coal.\nAt current rates, such bitcoin “mining” devours about the same amount of energy annually as the Netherlands did in 2019, the latest available data from the University of Cambridge and the International Energy Agency shows.\nQ&A\nWhat is cryptocurrency?\nShow\nCryptocurrencies are an alternative way of making payments to cash or credit cards. The technology behind it allows the ‘money’ to be sent directly to others without it having to pass through the banking system. For that reason they are outside the control of governments and are unregulated by financial watchdogs – and transactions can be made in a way that keeps you reasonably pseudonymous.\nIf you own a crypto-asset you control a secret digital key that you can use to prove to anyone on the network that a certain amount of that asset is yours. If you spend it, you tell the entire network that you have transferred ownership of it, and use the same key to prove that you are telling the truth. Over time, the history of all those transactions becomes a lasting record of who owns what: that record is called the blockchain.\nBitcoin\nwas one of the first and biggest cryptocurrencies and has been on a wild ride since its creation in 2009, sometimes surging in value as investors have piled in – and recently crashing back down.\nSceptics warn that the lack of central control make crypto-assets ideal for criminals and terrorists, while libertarian monetarists enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank.\nThe whole concept of cryptocurrencies has been criticised for its ecological impact, with \"mining\" for new coins requiring \nvast energy reserves and the associated carbon footprint\n of the whole system.\nRichard Partington\nand\nMartin Belam\nTesla revealed in February it had bought $1.5bn of bitcoin, before it began accepting it as payment for cars in March, driving a roughly 20% surge in the world’s most widely held cryptocurrency.\nMusk on Wednesday said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy.\nOn Wednesday, Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at currency trading firm OANDA, said that Musk was getting ahead of investors focused on sustainability.\n“The environmental impact from mining bitcoins was one of the biggest risks for the entire crypto market,” Moya said. “Over the past couple of months, everyone disregarded news that bitcoin uses more electricity than Argentina and Norway.”\nChris Weston, head of research at broker Pepperstone in Melbourne, said Musk’s reaction was a blow to bitcoin but an acknowledgement of the currency’s carbon footprint.\n“Tesla has got an image of being environmentally friendly and bitcoin clearly is the opposite of that,” Weston said.\nLAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy.\nPhotograph: Alessandro Bianchi\/Reuters\nMusk himself is a strong believer in digital currencies while also advocating for clean technology.\n“Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment,” Musk said.\nThe dominance of Chinese bitcoin miners and lack of motivation to swap cheap fossil fuels for more expensive renewables could mean there are few quick fixes to the emissions problem.\nChinese miners account for about 70% of bitcoin production, data from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Alternative Finance shows. They tend to use renewable energy – mostly hydropower – during the rainy summer months, but fossil fuels – primarily coal – for the rest of the year.\nIn theory, blockchain analysis firms say, it is possible to track the source of bitcoin, raising the possibility that a premium could be charged for green bitcoin. Stronger climate change policies by governments around the world might also help.\nSome bitcoin proponents note that the existing financial system – with its millions of employees and computers in air-conditioned offices – uses large amounts of energy, too.\nMusk has been a fan of other cryptocurrencies, firing off tweets this year that have made the\nonce-obscure digital currency dogecoin\nwell known. Musk said on Sunday that his commercial rocket company SpaceX will be accepting the meme-inspired cryptocurrency as payment to launch a lunar mission next year.","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&cs_ucfr=0&comscorekw=technology)\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#maincontent)[Skip to navigation](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#navigation)\n\nClose dialogue\n\n1\/2\n\nNext image\n\nPrevious image\n\nToggle caption\n\n[Skip to navigation](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#navigation)\n\n[Print subscriptions](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/subscribe?REFPVID=mncwukeggwwh5rxsukp7&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mncwukeggwwh5rxsukp7%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ftechnology%2F2021%2Fmay%2F12%2Felon-musk-tesla-bitcoin%22%7D)\n\n[Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n\n[Sign in](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header)\n\nUK\n\n- [UK edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/uk)\n- [US edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/us)\n- [Australia edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/au)\n- [Europe edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/eur)\n- [International edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/int)\n\n[The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n- [Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n\nShow more\n\nHide expanded menu\n\n- News\n  - [View all News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [UK news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news)\n  - [US politics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/us-politics)\n  - [World news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n  - [Climate crisis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/climate-crisis)\n  - [Middle East](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/middleeast)\n  - [Ukraine](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine)\n  - [Football](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football)\n  - [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters)\n  - [Business](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business)\n  - [Environment](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment)\n  - [UK politics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics)\n  - [Science](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science)\n  - [Tech](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology)\n  - [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n  - [Obituaries](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/obituaries)\n- Opinion\n  - [View all Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n  - [The Guardian view](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/editorial)\n  - [Columnists](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/contributors)\n  - [Cartoons](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/cartoons)\n  - [Opinion videos](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/type\/video+tone\/comment)\n  - [Letters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/letters)\n- Sport\n  - [View all Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n  - [Football](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football)\n  - [Cricket](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/cricket)\n  - [Rugby union](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/rugby-union)\n  - [Tennis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/tennis)\n  - [Cycling](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/cycling)\n  - [F1](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/formulaone)\n  - [Golf](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/golf)\n  - [Boxing](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/boxing)\n  - [Rugby league](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/rugbyleague)\n  - [Racing](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/horse-racing)\n  - [US sports](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/us-sport)\n- Culture\n  - [View all Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n  - [Film](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film)\n  - [Music](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music)\n  - [TV & radio](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tv-and-radio)\n  - [Books](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books)\n  - [Art & design](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign)\n  - [Stage](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/stage)\n  - [Games](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/games)\n  - [Classical](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music\/classicalmusicandopera)\n- Lifestyle\n  - [View all Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n  - [The Filter](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk\/thefilter)\n  - [Fashion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/fashion)\n  - [Food](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/food)\n  - [Recipes](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/recipes)\n  - [Travel](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/travel)\n  - [Health & fitness](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/health-and-wellbeing)\n  - [Women](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/women)\n  - [Men](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/men)\n  - [Love & sex](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/love-and-sex)\n  - [Beauty](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/fashion\/beauty)\n  - [Home & garden](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/home-and-garden)\n  - [Money](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/money)\n  - [Cars](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/motoring)\n  - [Support us](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=side_menu_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D)\n  - [Print subscriptions](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/subscribe?REFPVID=mncwukeggwwh5rxsukp7&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mncwukeggwwh5rxsukp7%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ftechnology%2F2021%2Fmay%2F12%2Felon-musk-tesla-bitcoin%22%7D)\n- - [Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Hire with Guardian Jobs](https:\/\/recruiters.theguardian.com\/?utm_source=gdnwb&utm_medium=navbar&utm_campaign=Guardian_Navbar_Recruiters&CMP_TU=trdmkt&CMP_BUNIT=jobs)\n  - [Holidays](https:\/\/holidays.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=holidays_uk_web_newheader)\n  - [Live events](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_uk_header_dropdown)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n  - [Digital Archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n  - [Guardian Print Shop](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign\/series\/gnm-print-sales)\n  - [Patrons](https:\/\/patrons.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=header_patrons)\n  - [Guardian Licensing](https:\/\/licensing.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [The Guardian app](https:\/\/app.adjust.com\/16xt6hai)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/video)\n  - [Podcasts](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/podcasts)\n  - [Pictures](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/inpictures)\n  - [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters)\n  - [Today's paper](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/theguardian)\n  - [Inside the Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/insidetheguardian)\n  - [Guardian Weekly](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_UK)\n  - [Crosswords](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/crosswords)\n  - [Wordiply](https:\/\/www.wordiply.com\/)\n  - [Corrections](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/theguardian\/series\/corrections-and-clarifications)\n  - [Tips](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tips)\n- - [Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Hire with Guardian Jobs](https:\/\/recruiters.theguardian.com\/?utm_source=gdnwb&utm_medium=navbar&utm_campaign=Guardian_Navbar_Recruiters&CMP_TU=trdmkt&CMP_BUNIT=jobs)\n  - [Holidays](https:\/\/holidays.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=holidays_uk_web_newheader)\n  - [Live events](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_uk_header_dropdown)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n  - [Digital Archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n  - [Guardian Print Shop](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign\/series\/gnm-print-sales)\n  - [Patrons](https:\/\/patrons.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=header_patrons)\n  - [Guardian Licensing](https:\/\/licensing.theguardian.com\/)\n\n- [UK](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news)\n- [US politics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/us-politics)\n- [World](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n- [Climate crisis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/climate-crisis)\n- [Middle East](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/middleeast)\n- [Ukraine](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine)\n- [Football](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters)\n- [Business](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business)\n- [Environment](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment)\n- [UK politics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics)\n- [Science](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science)\n- [Tech](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology)\n- [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n- [Obituaries](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/obituaries)\n\n![‘We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \\&lt;1% of bitcoin’s energy\/transaction,’ Musk said.](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/13dab6b0114853296a707f8cb4619c1527b1ffa8\/0_114_3500_2101\/master\/3500.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)\n\n‘We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \\<1% of bitcoin’s energy\/transaction,’ Musk said. Photograph: Mike Blake\/Reuters\n\n[View image in fullscreen](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#img-1)\n\n‘We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \\<1% of bitcoin’s energy\/transaction,’ Musk said. Photograph: Mike Blake\/Reuters\n\n[Tesla](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/tesla)\n\nThis article is more than **4 years old**\n\n# Elon Musk says Tesla will no longer accept bitcoin due to fossil fuel use\nThis article is more than 4 years old\n\nDigital currency, which is made with an energy-intensive process, falls 17% after the tweet\n\nReuters\n\nThu 13 May 2021 05.17 BST\n\nFirst published on Thu 13 May 2021 00.44 BST\n\nShare\n\n[Prefer the Guardian on Google](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=theguardian.com)\n\nTesla has suspended customers’ use of bitcoin to purchase its vehicles, [Elon Musk](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/elon-musk) said on Wednesday, citing concerns about the use of fossil fuel for bitcoin mining.\n\n[![A dogecoin](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/7acff6079fc34bea5558c60c2d0ad7fa6d183d68\/0_366_3108_1865\/master\/3108.jpg?width=460&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=9e0882333b1928fa6747c5968a052c35)Dogecoin’s record-breaking rise shoots ‘joke’ cryptocurrency to wider attention Read more](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/05\/dogecoins-record-breaking-rise-shoots-the-cryptocurrency-to-wider-attention)\n\nBitcoin, the world’s biggest digital currency, fell almost 17% after the tweet to its lowest point since the beginning of March. It recovered slightly in Asian trading but was still off 12% at \\$50,933early on Thursday morning.\n\nMusk said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more [sustainable energy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/mar\/10\/bitcoin-rise-could-leave-carbon-footprint-size-london).\n\n“We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \\<1% of bitcoin’s energy\/transaction,” Musk said.\n\n> Tesla & Bitcoin [pic.twitter.com\/YSswJmVZhP](https:\/\/t.co\/YSswJmVZhP)\n> \n> — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) [May 12, 2021](https:\/\/twitter.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1392602041025843203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)\n\nMusk said in March that [Tesla](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/tesla) customers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin.\n\nThe digital currency is created when high-powered computers compete against other machines to solve complex mathematical puzzles, an [energy-intensive](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/feb\/27\/bitcoin-mining-electricity-use-environmental-impact) process that currently often relies on electricity generated with fossil fuels, particularly coal.\n\nAt current rates, such bitcoin “mining” devours about the same amount of energy annually as the Netherlands did in 2019, the latest available data from the University of Cambridge and the International Energy Agency shows.\n\nQ\\&A\n\n#### What is cryptocurrency?\nShow\n\n![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/22fd50811fb82c02eb84dfccdb1dffea8d2c3a01\/0_131_2222_1333\/2222.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=bceab69f531d2d6306e9382f418e367a)\n\nCryptocurrencies are an alternative way of making payments to cash or credit cards. The technology behind it allows the ‘money’ to be sent directly to others without it having to pass through the banking system. For that reason they are outside the control of governments and are unregulated by financial watchdogs – and transactions can be made in a way that keeps you reasonably pseudonymous.\n\nIf you own a crypto-asset you control a secret digital key that you can use to prove to anyone on the network that a certain amount of that asset is yours. If you spend it, you tell the entire network that you have transferred ownership of it, and use the same key to prove that you are telling the truth. Over time, the history of all those transactions becomes a lasting record of who owns what: that record is called the blockchain.\n\n[Bitcoin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/bitcoin) was one of the first and biggest cryptocurrencies and has been on a wild ride since its creation in 2009, sometimes surging in value as investors have piled in – and recently crashing back down.\n\nSceptics warn that the lack of central control make crypto-assets ideal for criminals and terrorists, while libertarian monetarists enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank.\n\nThe whole concept of cryptocurrencies has been criticised for its ecological impact, with \"mining\" for new coins requiring [vast energy reserves and the associated carbon footprint](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/mar\/10\/bitcoin-rise-could-leave-carbon-footprint-size-london) of the whole system.\n\n**Richard Partington** and **Martin Belam**\n\nWas this helpful?\n\nThank you for your feedback.\n\nTesla revealed in February it had bought \\$1.5bn of bitcoin, before it began accepting it as payment for cars in March, driving a roughly 20% surge in the world’s most widely held cryptocurrency.\n\nMusk on Wednesday said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy.\n\nOn Wednesday, Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at currency trading firm OANDA, said that Musk was getting ahead of investors focused on sustainability.\n\n“The environmental impact from mining bitcoins was one of the biggest risks for the entire crypto market,” Moya said. “Over the past couple of months, everyone disregarded news that bitcoin uses more electricity than Argentina and Norway.”\n\nChris Weston, head of research at broker Pepperstone in Melbourne, said Musk’s reaction was a blow to bitcoin but an acknowledgement of the currency’s carbon footprint.\n\n“Tesla has got an image of being environmentally friendly and bitcoin clearly is the opposite of that,” Weston said.\n\n![LAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy.](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/2f5df29168c08462a4aa9cc0092d240bc4f8b40d\/0_0_3256_2167\/master\/3256.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)\n\n[View image in fullscreen](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#img-2)\n\nLAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy. Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi\/Reuters\n\nMusk himself is a strong believer in digital currencies while also advocating for clean technology.\n\n“Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment,” Musk said.\n\nThe dominance of Chinese bitcoin miners and lack of motivation to swap cheap fossil fuels for more expensive renewables could mean there are few quick fixes to the emissions problem.\n\nChinese miners account for about 70% of bitcoin production, data from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Alternative Finance shows. They tend to use renewable energy – mostly hydropower – during the rainy summer months, but fossil fuels – primarily coal – for the rest of the year.\n\nIn theory, blockchain analysis firms say, it is possible to track the source of bitcoin, raising the possibility that a premium could be charged for green bitcoin. Stronger climate change policies by governments around the world might also help.\n\nSome bitcoin proponents note that the existing financial system – with its millions of employees and computers in air-conditioned offices – uses large amounts of energy, too.\n\nMusk has been a fan of other cryptocurrencies, firing off tweets this year that have made the [once-obscure digital currency dogecoin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/05\/dogecoins-record-breaking-rise-shoots-the-cryptocurrency-to-wider-attention) well known. Musk said on Sunday that his commercial rocket company SpaceX will be accepting the meme-inspired cryptocurrency as payment to launch a lunar mission next year.\n\nExplore more on these topics\n\n- [Tesla](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/tesla)\n- [Bitcoin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/bitcoin)\n- [Elon Musk](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/elon-musk)\n- [Cryptocurrencies](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/cryptocurrencies)\n- [news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/news)\n\nShare\n\n[Reuse this content](https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ftechnology%2F2021%2Fmay%2F12%2Felon-musk-tesla-bitcoin&type=article&internalpagecode=technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin \"Reuse this content\")\n\n### Most viewed\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/827f83d9d86039b09fc2fe97b59850617b2816b5\/187_0_4167_3334\/master\/4167.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Live Middle East crisis live: Trump says he wants to ‘take the oil’ in Iran and could seize Kharg Island ‘easily’](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/30\/iran-war-live-updates-trump-oil-kharg-island-houthis-israel-lebanon-middle-east)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/1ad221c2399d069c78f3c209146764f18ffd967e\/967_340_3132_2506\/master\/3132.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Full network of clitoral nerves mapped out for first time](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2026\/mar\/29\/full-network-clitoral-nerves-mapped-out-first-time-women-pelvic-surgery)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/6d1d9e58feed78605c33c34b06c5838f63f247d8\/415_0_2915_2333\/master\/2915.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) No tuition, no grades, no power grid: why are people flocking to a ‘college’ in the middle of the desert?](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/29\/mars-college-california-campus)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c879cf07e3a2c8d7c1c3c6049d77ed8e8c394278\/0_451_2000_1599\/master\/2000.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Who are the Houthis – explained in 30 seconds](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/30\/houthis-who-are-they-rebels-fighting-for-iran-war)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/99d404cb7b9ccdf6a91b82944240761e9d385545\/732_614_4295_3437\/master\/4295.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) ‘I thought, what the hell have I done?’: the people who moved abroad for love – and regretted it](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2026\/mar\/29\/emigrate-partner-moved-abroad-love-regret)\n\n## Related stories\n## Related stories\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/78a27817b30c70d165bec1761704cce064fb890c\/40_45_3663_2199\/master\/3663.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Dogecoin value soars after Elon Musk says it will be accepted for Tesla goods\n  14 Jan 2022\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/b1ad6a61a24b1713d433cd056422fdbb5179ac2f\/0_41_5376_3229\/master\/5376.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Tesla headquarters will move from California to Texas, Elon Musk says\n  8 Oct 2021\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/94a7b00b993527368dcbe7ff54367f0648edadd0\/0_41_3500_2101\/master\/3500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Tesla likely to start accepting bitcoin as payment again, says Elon Musk\n  21 Jul 2021\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/77d8078a1463082cf81acc55faf38c8defeb8d07\/0_408_6123_3674\/master\/6123.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Bitcoin price back above \\$40,000 after Elon Musk comments\n  14 Jun 2021\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/52cdb0a45aba3a0ca10b84a78a31869fdbf6e4c3\/0_0_4500_2700\/master\/4500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Elon Musk changes his Tesla job title to 'technoking'\n  15 Mar 2021\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c1252c7734bc3c043cc79576d96f7455a51eaf56\/0_12_3112_1867\/master\/3112.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Elon Musk no longer world’s richest person as Tesla shares fall\n  23 Feb 2021\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/ed1fd4e3afa979e68897f251e15a758913b8a3d4\/0_76_3290_1974\/master\/3290.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Tesla buys \\$1.5bn in bitcoin, pushing price to new high\n  8 Feb 2021\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/35bb6792172aa890ef50c4e8985fcac16121a500\/0_42_2828_1698\/master\/2828.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Price of dogecoin rises by 50% following Elon Musk tweet\n  4 Feb 2021\n\n## More from News\n## More from News\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/615ac78a616fe2fd790840ca4828526bd421f3ab\/378_154_3146_2517\/master\/3146.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### ExclusiveNHS to miss targets for cutting A\\&E wait times and performance in England\n  15h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/204c6070c678cb95c9733570fcdabac84c6b985d\/250_0_4840_3872\/master\/4840.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### BusinessPessimism takes root in UK as shoppers struggle to afford essentials\n  2h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/2fe6fefa98221741983dc40a920808d17a0d3fc7\/1071_1085_4033_3227\/master\/4033.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### EuropeFive EU governments found to ‘consistently’ dismantle rule of law\n  3h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/ab670732fc67d03e96204c5bf7bb9547cb8778e5\/238_0_4821_3859\/master\/4821.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### ImmigrationFears of increased small boat Channel crossings as UK-French deal nears end\n  12m ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/56aa3fcc91b290d86dea9f72bb5ae94ab781edd6\/260_0_2735_2188\/master\/2735.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### UK newsEaster bank holiday expected to be UK’s busiest on roads in four years\n  12m ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/e0b6bbb72b01b08e4f606a22e8820d12edcb17cf\/100_0_4177_3341\/master\/4177.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Employment lawBig retailers say UK jobs at risk from guaranteed hours reforms\n  4h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/885cc9b9dc1f26fa21fc9f0795949a981beeaa2b\/225_0_1957_1566\/master\/1957.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### AustraliaDezi Freeman shot dead by police after seven-month manhunt\n  3h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8077945a657ed9c1c8d25d394878d010df2453c9\/139_411_1361_1089\/master\/1361.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Sydney SweeneyKim Novak says Sydney Sweeney is ‘totally wrong to play me’ in biopic\n  3h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/b703be0ecd45884410248f931fd3a015f81f4905\/0_67_5750_4599\/master\/5750.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### ItalyThieves steal Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse paintings worth millions from Italian museum\n  2h ago\n\n## Most viewed\n## Most viewed\n- [Most viewed Across the Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/tabs-popular-0)\n- [Most viewed in Technology](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/tabs-popular-1)\n\n### Most viewed Across the\\&nbsp;Guardian\n1. [Live Middle East crisis live: Trump says he wants to ‘take the oil’ in Iran and could seize Kharg Island ‘easily’](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/30\/iran-war-live-updates-trump-oil-kharg-island-houthis-israel-lebanon-middle-east)\n2. [‘The highs are extremely high – but the lows are extremely low’: when working out becomes an addiction](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2026\/mar\/29\/working-out-exercise-addiction-signs)\n3. [Five EU governments found to ‘consistently’ dismantle rule of law](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/law\/2026\/mar\/30\/five-eu-governments-consistently-dismantle-rule-of-law-finds-civil-liberties-union-for-europe)\n4. [‘Wow, people were so angry at Labour!’ Green MP Hannah Spencer on politics, plumbing, smears and snobbery](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2026\/mar\/30\/wow-people-were-so-angry-at-labour-green-mp-hannah-spencer-on-politics-plumbing-smears-and-snobbery)\n5. [‘I thought, what the hell have I done?’: the people who moved abroad for love – and regretted it](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2026\/mar\/29\/emigrate-partner-moved-abroad-love-regret)\n6. [Who are the Houthis – explained in 30 seconds](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/30\/houthis-who-are-they-rebels-fighting-for-iran-war)\n7. [Pope seems to rebuke Hegseth in remarks about leaders with ‘hands full of blood’](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/29\/pope-rebuke-trump-leaders-with-hands-full-of-blood)\n8. [Lawmakers react to reports Pentagon preparing for ground operations in Iran](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/29\/pentagon-ground-operations-iran-report)\n9. [Big retailers say UK jobs at risk from guaranteed hours reforms](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/law\/2026\/mar\/30\/big-retailers-uk-jobs-at-risk-guaranteed-hours-reforms)\n10. [Will Trump bring peace, or more bombs? Shady speculators seem to bet right every time](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2026\/mar\/30\/trump-bombs-betting-markets-speculators)\n\n### Most viewed in Technology\n1. [Number of AI chatbots ignoring human instructions increasing, study says](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/27\/number-of-ai-chatbots-ignoring-human-instructions-increasing-study-says)\n2. [‘Soon publishers won’t stand a chance’: literary world in struggle to detect AI-written books](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/29\/ai-written-books-novel-shy-girl-publishers)\n3. [iPhone 17e review: Apple upgrades its cheapest new smartphone](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/23\/iphone-17e-review-apple-cheapest-new-smartphone-chip-magsafe-storage)\n4. [How Meta’s victim-blaming failed to sway jurors in landmark social media addiction trial](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/29\/meta-loss-social-media-addiction-trial)\n5. [‘Our assumptions are broken’: how fraudulent church data revealed AI’s threat to polling](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/28\/how-fraudulent-church-data-revealed-ais-threat-to-polling)\n6. [‘They feel true’: political deepfakes are growing in influence – even if people know they aren’t real](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/28\/military-deepfakes-ai-propaganda-money)\n7. [UK iPhone users face over-18 age check to use services after update](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/25\/apple-iphone-users-face-over-18-age-check-to-use-services-after-update)\n8. [Google AI Overviews put people at risk of harm with misleading health adviceThis article is more than **2 months old**](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/jan\/02\/google-ai-overviews-risk-harm-misleading-health-information)\n9. [Meta ordered to pay \\$375m after being found liable in child exploitation case](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/24\/meta-new-mexico-jury)\n10. [Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people, jury finds](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/2026\/mar\/25\/jury-verdict-us-first-social-media-addiction-trial-meta-youtube)\n\n- [UK](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news)\n- [US politics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/us-politics)\n- [World](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n- [Climate crisis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/climate-crisis)\n- [Middle East](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/middleeast)\n- [Ukraine](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine)\n- [Football](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters)\n- [Business](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business)\n- [Environment](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment)\n- [UK politics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics)\n- [Science](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science)\n- [Tech](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology)\n- [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n- [Obituaries](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/obituaries)\n\nMore\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n- [Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n\nOriginal reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning\n\n[Sign up for our email](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global\/2022\/sep\/20\/sign-up-for-the-first-edition-newsletter-our-free-news-email)\n\n- [About us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n- [Help](https:\/\/manage.theguardian.com\/help-centre)\n- [Complaints & corrections](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/complaints-and-corrections)\n- [Contact us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/contact-us)\n- [Tip us off](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tips)\n- [SecureDrop](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/securedrop)\n- [Privacy policy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/privacy)\n- [Cookie policy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/cookies)\n- [Modern Slavery Act](https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2025\/09\/05\/Modern_Slavery_Statement_2025.pdf)\n- [Tax strategy](https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2025\/09\/05\/Tax_strategy_for_the_year_ended_31_March_2025.pdf)\n- [Terms & conditions](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/terms-of-service)\n\n- [All topics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/subjects\/a)\n- [All writers](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/contributors)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_UK)\n- [Digital newspaper archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n- [Bluesky](https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/theguardian.com)\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/theguardian)\n- [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/guardian)\n- [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/theguardian)\n- [Threads](https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@guardian)\n- [TikTok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@guardian)\n- [YouTube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/TheGuardian)\n\n- [Advertise with us](https:\/\/advertising.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Guardian Labs](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-labs)\n- [Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Patrons](https:\/\/patrons.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=footer_patrons)\n- [Work with us](https:\/\/workwithus.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Accessibility settings](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/accessibility-help)\n\nSupport the Guardian\n\nAvailable for everyone, funded by readers\n\n[Support us](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=footer_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER%22,%22componentId%22:%22footer_support%22%7D)\n\n[Back to top](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/12\/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#top)\n\n© 2026 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.\n\n(dcr)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Tesla has suspended customers’ use of bitcoin to purchase its vehicles, [Elon Musk](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/elon-musk) said on Wednesday, citing concerns about the use of fossil fuel for bitcoin mining.\n\nBitcoin, the world’s biggest digital currency, fell almost 17% after the tweet to its lowest point since the beginning of March. It recovered slightly in Asian trading but was still off 12% at \\$50,933early on Thursday morning.\n\nMusk said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more [sustainable energy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/mar\/10\/bitcoin-rise-could-leave-carbon-footprint-size-london).\n\n“We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \\<1% of bitcoin’s energy\/transaction,” Musk said.\n\nMusk said in March that [Tesla](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/tesla) customers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin.\n\nThe digital currency is created when high-powered computers compete against other machines to solve complex mathematical puzzles, an [energy-intensive](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/feb\/27\/bitcoin-mining-electricity-use-environmental-impact) process that currently often relies on electricity generated with fossil fuels, particularly coal.\n\nAt current rates, such bitcoin “mining” devours about the same amount of energy annually as the Netherlands did in 2019, the latest available data from the University of Cambridge and the International Energy Agency shows.\n\nQ\\&A\n\n#### What is cryptocurrency?\nShow\n\n![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/22fd50811fb82c02eb84dfccdb1dffea8d2c3a01\/0_131_2222_1333\/2222.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=bceab69f531d2d6306e9382f418e367a)\n\nCryptocurrencies are an alternative way of making payments to cash or credit cards. The technology behind it allows the ‘money’ to be sent directly to others without it having to pass through the banking system. For that reason they are outside the control of governments and are unregulated by financial watchdogs – and transactions can be made in a way that keeps you reasonably pseudonymous.\n\nIf you own a crypto-asset you control a secret digital key that you can use to prove to anyone on the network that a certain amount of that asset is yours. If you spend it, you tell the entire network that you have transferred ownership of it, and use the same key to prove that you are telling the truth. Over time, the history of all those transactions becomes a lasting record of who owns what: that record is called the blockchain.\n\n[Bitcoin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/bitcoin) was one of the first and biggest cryptocurrencies and has been on a wild ride since its creation in 2009, sometimes surging in value as investors have piled in – and recently crashing back down.\n\nSceptics warn that the lack of central control make crypto-assets ideal for criminals and terrorists, while libertarian monetarists enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank.\n\nThe whole concept of cryptocurrencies has been criticised for its ecological impact, with \"mining\" for new coins requiring [vast energy reserves and the associated carbon footprint](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/mar\/10\/bitcoin-rise-could-leave-carbon-footprint-size-london) of the whole system.\n\n**Richard Partington** and **Martin Belam**\n\nTesla revealed in February it had bought \\$1.5bn of bitcoin, before it began accepting it as payment for cars in March, driving a roughly 20% surge in the world’s most widely held cryptocurrency.\n\nMusk on Wednesday said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy.\n\nOn Wednesday, Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at currency trading firm OANDA, said that Musk was getting ahead of investors focused on sustainability.\n\n“The environmental impact from mining bitcoins was one of the biggest risks for the entire crypto market,” Moya said. “Over the past couple of months, everyone disregarded news that bitcoin uses more electricity than Argentina and Norway.”\n\nChris Weston, head of research at broker Pepperstone in Melbourne, said Musk’s reaction was a blow to bitcoin but an acknowledgement of the currency’s carbon footprint.\n\n“Tesla has got an image of being environmentally friendly and bitcoin clearly is the opposite of that,” Weston said.\n\n![LAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy.](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/2f5df29168c08462a4aa9cc0092d240bc4f8b40d\/0_0_3256_2167\/master\/3256.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)\n\nLAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy. Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi\/Reuters\n\nMusk himself is a strong believer in digital currencies while also advocating for clean technology.\n\n“Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment,” Musk said.\n\nThe dominance of Chinese bitcoin miners and lack of motivation to swap cheap fossil fuels for more expensive renewables could mean there are few quick fixes to the emissions problem.\n\nChinese miners account for about 70% of bitcoin production, data from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Alternative Finance shows. They tend to use renewable energy – mostly hydropower – during the rainy summer months, but fossil fuels – primarily coal – for the rest of the year.\n\nIn theory, blockchain analysis firms say, it is possible to track the source of bitcoin, raising the possibility that a premium could be charged for green bitcoin. Stronger climate change policies by governments around the world might also help.\n\nSome bitcoin proponents note that the existing financial system – with its millions of employees and computers in air-conditioned offices – uses large amounts of energy, too.\n\nMusk has been a fan of other cryptocurrencies, firing off tweets this year that have made the [once-obscure digital currency dogecoin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2021\/may\/05\/dogecoins-record-breaking-rise-shoots-the-cryptocurrency-to-wider-attention) well known. Musk said on Sunday that his commercial rocket company SpaceX will be accepting the meme-inspired cryptocurrency as payment to launch a lunar mission next year.","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

15 days ago

🚫

ROBOTS BLOCKED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.5 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin
Last Crawled	2026-03-30 08:12:50 (15 days ago)
First Indexed	2021-05-12 23:56:12 (4 years ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Elon Musk says Tesla will no longer accept bitcoin due to fossil fuel use \| Tesla \| The Guardian
Meta Description	Digital currency, which is made with an energy-intensive process, falls 17% after the tweet
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Tesla has suspended customers’ use of bitcoin to purchase its vehicles, Elon Musk said on Wednesday, citing concerns about the use of fossil fuel for bitcoin mining. Bitcoin, the world’s biggest digital currency, fell almost 17% after the tweet to its lowest point since the beginning of March. It recovered slightly in Asian trading but was still off 12% at $50,933 early on Thursday morning. Musk said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy . “We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use <1% of bitcoin’s energy/transaction,” Musk said. Musk said in March that Tesla customers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin. The digital currency is created when high-powered computers compete against other machines to solve complex mathematical puzzles, an energy-intensive process that currently often relies on electricity generated with fossil fuels, particularly coal. At current rates, such bitcoin “mining” devours about the same amount of energy annually as the Netherlands did in 2019, the latest available data from the University of Cambridge and the International Energy Agency shows. Q&A What is cryptocurrency? Show Cryptocurrencies are an alternative way of making payments to cash or credit cards. The technology behind it allows the ‘money’ to be sent directly to others without it having to pass through the banking system. For that reason they are outside the control of governments and are unregulated by financial watchdogs – and transactions can be made in a way that keeps you reasonably pseudonymous. If you own a crypto-asset you control a secret digital key that you can use to prove to anyone on the network that a certain amount of that asset is yours. If you spend it, you tell the entire network that you have transferred ownership of it, and use the same key to prove that you are telling the truth. Over time, the history of all those transactions becomes a lasting record of who owns what: that record is called the blockchain. Bitcoin was one of the first and biggest cryptocurrencies and has been on a wild ride since its creation in 2009, sometimes surging in value as investors have piled in – and recently crashing back down. Sceptics warn that the lack of central control make crypto-assets ideal for criminals and terrorists, while libertarian monetarists enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank. The whole concept of cryptocurrencies has been criticised for its ecological impact, with "mining" for new coins requiring vast energy reserves and the associated carbon footprint of the whole system. Richard Partington and Martin Belam Tesla revealed in February it had bought $1.5bn of bitcoin, before it began accepting it as payment for cars in March, driving a roughly 20% surge in the world’s most widely held cryptocurrency. Musk on Wednesday said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy. On Wednesday, Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at currency trading firm OANDA, said that Musk was getting ahead of investors focused on sustainability. “The environmental impact from mining bitcoins was one of the biggest risks for the entire crypto market,” Moya said. “Over the past couple of months, everyone disregarded news that bitcoin uses more electricity than Argentina and Norway.” Chris Weston, head of research at broker Pepperstone in Melbourne, said Musk’s reaction was a blow to bitcoin but an acknowledgement of the currency’s carbon footprint. “Tesla has got an image of being environmentally friendly and bitcoin clearly is the opposite of that,” Weston said. LAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy. Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters Musk himself is a strong believer in digital currencies while also advocating for clean technology. “Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment,” Musk said. The dominance of Chinese bitcoin miners and lack of motivation to swap cheap fossil fuels for more expensive renewables could mean there are few quick fixes to the emissions problem. Chinese miners account for about 70% of bitcoin production, data from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Alternative Finance shows. They tend to use renewable energy – mostly hydropower – during the rainy summer months, but fossil fuels – primarily coal – for the rest of the year. In theory, blockchain analysis firms say, it is possible to track the source of bitcoin, raising the possibility that a premium could be charged for green bitcoin. Stronger climate change policies by governments around the world might also help. Some bitcoin proponents note that the existing financial system – with its millions of employees and computers in air-conditioned offices – uses large amounts of energy, too. Musk has been a fan of other cryptocurrencies, firing off tweets this year that have made the once-obscure digital currency dogecoin well known. Musk said on Sunday that his commercial rocket company SpaceX will be accepting the meme-inspired cryptocurrency as payment to launch a lunar mission next year.
Markdown	![](https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&cs_ucfr=0&comscorekw=technology) [Skip to main content](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#maincontent)[Skip to navigation](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#navigation) Close dialogue 1/2 Next image Previous image Toggle caption [Skip to navigation](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#navigation) [Print subscriptions](https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe?REFPVID=mncwukeggwwh5rxsukp7&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mncwukeggwwh5rxsukp7%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ftechnology%2F2021%2Fmay%2F12%2Felon-musk-tesla-bitcoin%22%7D) [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) [Sign in](https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header) UK - [UK edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk) - [US edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us) - [Australia edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au) - [Europe edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/eur) - [International edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int) [The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Show more Hide expanded menu - News - [View all News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [UK news](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news) - [US politics](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) - [World news](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [Climate crisis](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) - [Middle East](https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) - [Ukraine](https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) - [Football](https://www.theguardian.com/football) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) - [Business](https://www.theguardian.com/business) - [Environment](https://www.theguardian.com/environment) - [UK politics](https://www.theguardian.com/politics) - [Science](https://www.theguardian.com/science) - [Tech](https://www.theguardian.com/technology) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) - [Obituaries](https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries) - Opinion - [View all Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [The Guardian view](https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial) - [Columnists](https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) - [Cartoons](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/cartoons) - [Opinion videos](https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment) - [Letters](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters) - Sport - [View all Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Football](https://www.theguardian.com/football) - [Cricket](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/cricket) - [Rugby union](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/rugby-union) - [Tennis](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis) - [Cycling](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/cycling) - [F1](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/formulaone) - [Golf](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/golf) - [Boxing](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/boxing) - [Rugby league](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/rugbyleague) - [Racing](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/horse-racing) - [US sports](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/us-sport) - Culture - [View all Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Film](https://www.theguardian.com/film) - [Music](https://www.theguardian.com/music) - [TV & radio](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio) - [Books](https://www.theguardian.com/books) - [Art & design](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign) - [Stage](https://www.theguardian.com/stage) - [Games](https://www.theguardian.com/games) - [Classical](https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera) - Lifestyle - [View all Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) - [The Filter](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/thefilter) - [Fashion](https://www.theguardian.com/fashion) - [Food](https://www.theguardian.com/food) - [Recipes](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes) - [Travel](https://www.theguardian.com/travel) - [Health & fitness](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing) - [Women](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/women) - [Men](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/men) - [Love & sex](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex) - [Beauty](https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/beauty) - [Home & garden](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden) - [Money](https://www.theguardian.com/money) - [Cars](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/motoring) - [Support us](https://support.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=side_menu_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D) - [Print subscriptions](https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe?REFPVID=mncwukeggwwh5rxsukp7&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mncwukeggwwh5rxsukp7%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ftechnology%2F2021%2Fmay%2F12%2Felon-musk-tesla-bitcoin%22%7D) - - [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Hire with Guardian Jobs](https://recruiters.theguardian.com/?utm_source=gdnwb&utm_medium=navbar&utm_campaign=Guardian_Navbar_Recruiters&CMP_TU=trdmkt&CMP_BUNIT=jobs) - [Holidays](https://holidays.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=holidays_uk_web_newheader) - [Live events](https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_uk_header_dropdown) - [About Us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [Digital Archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Guardian Print Shop](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/series/gnm-print-sales) - [Patrons](https://patrons.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=header_patrons) - [Guardian Licensing](https://licensing.theguardian.com/) - [The Guardian app](https://app.adjust.com/16xt6hai) - [Video](https://www.theguardian.com/video) - [Podcasts](https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts) - [Pictures](https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) - [Today's paper](https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian) - [Inside the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/insidetheguardian) - [Guardian Weekly](https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_UK) - [Crosswords](https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords) - [Wordiply](https://www.wordiply.com/) - [Corrections](https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/series/corrections-and-clarifications) - [Tips](https://www.theguardian.com/tips) - - [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Hire with Guardian Jobs](https://recruiters.theguardian.com/?utm_source=gdnwb&utm_medium=navbar&utm_campaign=Guardian_Navbar_Recruiters&CMP_TU=trdmkt&CMP_BUNIT=jobs) - [Holidays](https://holidays.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=holidays_uk_web_newheader) - [Live events](https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_uk_header_dropdown) - [About Us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [Digital Archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Guardian Print Shop](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/series/gnm-print-sales) - [Patrons](https://patrons.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=header_patrons) - [Guardian Licensing](https://licensing.theguardian.com/) - [UK](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news) - [US politics](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) - [World](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [Climate crisis](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) - [Middle East](https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) - [Ukraine](https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) - [Football](https://www.theguardian.com/football) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) - [Business](https://www.theguardian.com/business) - [Environment](https://www.theguardian.com/environment) - [UK politics](https://www.theguardian.com/politics) - [Science](https://www.theguardian.com/science) - [Tech](https://www.theguardian.com/technology) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) - [Obituaries](https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries) ![‘We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \<1% of bitcoin’s energy/transaction,’ Musk said.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/13dab6b0114853296a707f8cb4619c1527b1ffa8/0_114_3500_2101/master/3500.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) ‘We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \<1% of bitcoin’s energy/transaction,’ Musk said. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters [View image in fullscreen](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#img-1) ‘We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \<1% of bitcoin’s energy/transaction,’ Musk said. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters [Tesla](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/tesla) This article is more than 4 years old # Elon Musk says Tesla will no longer accept bitcoin due to fossil fuel use This article is more than 4 years old Digital currency, which is made with an energy-intensive process, falls 17% after the tweet Reuters Thu 13 May 2021 05.17 BST First published on Thu 13 May 2021 00.44 BST Share [Prefer the Guardian on Google](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Tesla has suspended customers’ use of bitcoin to purchase its vehicles, [Elon Musk](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/elon-musk) said on Wednesday, citing concerns about the use of fossil fuel for bitcoin mining. [![A dogecoin](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/7acff6079fc34bea5558c60c2d0ad7fa6d183d68/0_366_3108_1865/master/3108.jpg?width=460&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=9e0882333b1928fa6747c5968a052c35)Dogecoin’s record-breaking rise shoots ‘joke’ cryptocurrency to wider attention Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/05/dogecoins-record-breaking-rise-shoots-the-cryptocurrency-to-wider-attention) Bitcoin, the world’s biggest digital currency, fell almost 17% after the tweet to its lowest point since the beginning of March. It recovered slightly in Asian trading but was still off 12% at \$50,933early on Thursday morning. Musk said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more [sustainable energy](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/10/bitcoin-rise-could-leave-carbon-footprint-size-london). “We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \<1% of bitcoin’s energy/transaction,” Musk said. > Tesla & Bitcoin [pic.twitter.com/YSswJmVZhP](https://t.co/YSswJmVZhP) > > — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) [May 12, 2021](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1392602041025843203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Musk said in March that [Tesla](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/tesla) customers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin. The digital currency is created when high-powered computers compete against other machines to solve complex mathematical puzzles, an [energy-intensive](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/feb/27/bitcoin-mining-electricity-use-environmental-impact) process that currently often relies on electricity generated with fossil fuels, particularly coal. At current rates, such bitcoin “mining” devours about the same amount of energy annually as the Netherlands did in 2019, the latest available data from the University of Cambridge and the International Energy Agency shows. Q\&A #### What is cryptocurrency? Show ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/22fd50811fb82c02eb84dfccdb1dffea8d2c3a01/0_131_2222_1333/2222.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=bceab69f531d2d6306e9382f418e367a) Cryptocurrencies are an alternative way of making payments to cash or credit cards. The technology behind it allows the ‘money’ to be sent directly to others without it having to pass through the banking system. For that reason they are outside the control of governments and are unregulated by financial watchdogs – and transactions can be made in a way that keeps you reasonably pseudonymous. If you own a crypto-asset you control a secret digital key that you can use to prove to anyone on the network that a certain amount of that asset is yours. If you spend it, you tell the entire network that you have transferred ownership of it, and use the same key to prove that you are telling the truth. Over time, the history of all those transactions becomes a lasting record of who owns what: that record is called the blockchain. [Bitcoin](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/bitcoin) was one of the first and biggest cryptocurrencies and has been on a wild ride since its creation in 2009, sometimes surging in value as investors have piled in – and recently crashing back down. Sceptics warn that the lack of central control make crypto-assets ideal for criminals and terrorists, while libertarian monetarists enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank. The whole concept of cryptocurrencies has been criticised for its ecological impact, with "mining" for new coins requiring [vast energy reserves and the associated carbon footprint](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/10/bitcoin-rise-could-leave-carbon-footprint-size-london) of the whole system. Richard Partington and Martin Belam Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback. Tesla revealed in February it had bought \$1.5bn of bitcoin, before it began accepting it as payment for cars in March, driving a roughly 20% surge in the world’s most widely held cryptocurrency. Musk on Wednesday said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy. On Wednesday, Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at currency trading firm OANDA, said that Musk was getting ahead of investors focused on sustainability. “The environmental impact from mining bitcoins was one of the biggest risks for the entire crypto market,” Moya said. “Over the past couple of months, everyone disregarded news that bitcoin uses more electricity than Argentina and Norway.” Chris Weston, head of research at broker Pepperstone in Melbourne, said Musk’s reaction was a blow to bitcoin but an acknowledgement of the currency’s carbon footprint. “Tesla has got an image of being environmentally friendly and bitcoin clearly is the opposite of that,” Weston said. ![LAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2f5df29168c08462a4aa9cc0092d240bc4f8b40d/0_0_3256_2167/master/3256.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) [View image in fullscreen](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#img-2) LAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy. Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters Musk himself is a strong believer in digital currencies while also advocating for clean technology. “Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment,” Musk said. The dominance of Chinese bitcoin miners and lack of motivation to swap cheap fossil fuels for more expensive renewables could mean there are few quick fixes to the emissions problem. Chinese miners account for about 70% of bitcoin production, data from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Alternative Finance shows. They tend to use renewable energy – mostly hydropower – during the rainy summer months, but fossil fuels – primarily coal – for the rest of the year. In theory, blockchain analysis firms say, it is possible to track the source of bitcoin, raising the possibility that a premium could be charged for green bitcoin. Stronger climate change policies by governments around the world might also help. Some bitcoin proponents note that the existing financial system – with its millions of employees and computers in air-conditioned offices – uses large amounts of energy, too. Musk has been a fan of other cryptocurrencies, firing off tweets this year that have made the [once-obscure digital currency dogecoin](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/05/dogecoins-record-breaking-rise-shoots-the-cryptocurrency-to-wider-attention) well known. Musk said on Sunday that his commercial rocket company SpaceX will be accepting the meme-inspired cryptocurrency as payment to launch a lunar mission next year. Explore more on these topics - [Tesla](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/tesla) - [Bitcoin](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/bitcoin) - [Elon Musk](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/elon-musk) - [Cryptocurrencies](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/cryptocurrencies) - [news](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/news) Share [Reuse this content](https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ftechnology%2F2021%2Fmay%2F12%2Felon-musk-tesla-bitcoin&type=article&internalpagecode=technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin "Reuse this content") ### Most viewed - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/827f83d9d86039b09fc2fe97b59850617b2816b5/187_0_4167_3334/master/4167.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Live Middle East crisis live: Trump says he wants to ‘take the oil’ in Iran and could seize Kharg Island ‘easily’](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/30/iran-war-live-updates-trump-oil-kharg-island-houthis-israel-lebanon-middle-east) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/1ad221c2399d069c78f3c209146764f18ffd967e/967_340_3132_2506/master/3132.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Full network of clitoral nerves mapped out for first time](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/29/full-network-clitoral-nerves-mapped-out-first-time-women-pelvic-surgery) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6d1d9e58feed78605c33c34b06c5838f63f247d8/415_0_2915_2333/master/2915.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) No tuition, no grades, no power grid: why are people flocking to a ‘college’ in the middle of the desert?](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/29/mars-college-california-campus) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c879cf07e3a2c8d7c1c3c6049d77ed8e8c394278/0_451_2000_1599/master/2000.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Who are the Houthis – explained in 30 seconds](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/30/houthis-who-are-they-rebels-fighting-for-iran-war) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/99d404cb7b9ccdf6a91b82944240761e9d385545/732_614_4295_3437/master/4295.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) ‘I thought, what the hell have I done?’: the people who moved abroad for love – and regretted it](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/mar/29/emigrate-partner-moved-abroad-love-regret) ## Related stories ## Related stories - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/78a27817b30c70d165bec1761704cce064fb890c/40_45_3663_2199/master/3663.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Dogecoin value soars after Elon Musk says it will be accepted for Tesla goods 14 Jan 2022 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/b1ad6a61a24b1713d433cd056422fdbb5179ac2f/0_41_5376_3229/master/5376.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Tesla headquarters will move from California to Texas, Elon Musk says 8 Oct 2021 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/94a7b00b993527368dcbe7ff54367f0648edadd0/0_41_3500_2101/master/3500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Tesla likely to start accepting bitcoin as payment again, says Elon Musk 21 Jul 2021 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/77d8078a1463082cf81acc55faf38c8defeb8d07/0_408_6123_3674/master/6123.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Bitcoin price back above \$40,000 after Elon Musk comments 14 Jun 2021 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/52cdb0a45aba3a0ca10b84a78a31869fdbf6e4c3/0_0_4500_2700/master/4500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Elon Musk changes his Tesla job title to 'technoking' 15 Mar 2021 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c1252c7734bc3c043cc79576d96f7455a51eaf56/0_12_3112_1867/master/3112.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Elon Musk no longer world’s richest person as Tesla shares fall 23 Feb 2021 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/ed1fd4e3afa979e68897f251e15a758913b8a3d4/0_76_3290_1974/master/3290.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Tesla buys \$1.5bn in bitcoin, pushing price to new high 8 Feb 2021 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/35bb6792172aa890ef50c4e8985fcac16121a500/0_42_2828_1698/master/2828.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Price of dogecoin rises by 50% following Elon Musk tweet 4 Feb 2021 ## More from News ## More from News - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/615ac78a616fe2fd790840ca4828526bd421f3ab/378_154_3146_2517/master/3146.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### ExclusiveNHS to miss targets for cutting A\&E wait times and performance in England 15h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/204c6070c678cb95c9733570fcdabac84c6b985d/250_0_4840_3872/master/4840.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### BusinessPessimism takes root in UK as shoppers struggle to afford essentials 2h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2fe6fefa98221741983dc40a920808d17a0d3fc7/1071_1085_4033_3227/master/4033.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### EuropeFive EU governments found to ‘consistently’ dismantle rule of law 3h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/ab670732fc67d03e96204c5bf7bb9547cb8778e5/238_0_4821_3859/master/4821.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### ImmigrationFears of increased small boat Channel crossings as UK-French deal nears end 12m ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/56aa3fcc91b290d86dea9f72bb5ae94ab781edd6/260_0_2735_2188/master/2735.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### UK newsEaster bank holiday expected to be UK’s busiest on roads in four years 12m ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e0b6bbb72b01b08e4f606a22e8820d12edcb17cf/100_0_4177_3341/master/4177.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Employment lawBig retailers say UK jobs at risk from guaranteed hours reforms 4h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/885cc9b9dc1f26fa21fc9f0795949a981beeaa2b/225_0_1957_1566/master/1957.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### AustraliaDezi Freeman shot dead by police after seven-month manhunt 3h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/8077945a657ed9c1c8d25d394878d010df2453c9/139_411_1361_1089/master/1361.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Sydney SweeneyKim Novak says Sydney Sweeney is ‘totally wrong to play me’ in biopic 3h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/b703be0ecd45884410248f931fd3a015f81f4905/0_67_5750_4599/master/5750.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### ItalyThieves steal Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse paintings worth millions from Italian museum 2h ago ## Most viewed ## Most viewed - [Most viewed Across the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/tabs-popular-0) - [Most viewed in Technology](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/tabs-popular-1) ### Most viewed Across the\ Guardian 1. [Live Middle East crisis live: Trump says he wants to ‘take the oil’ in Iran and could seize Kharg Island ‘easily’](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/30/iran-war-live-updates-trump-oil-kharg-island-houthis-israel-lebanon-middle-east) 2. [‘The highs are extremely high – but the lows are extremely low’: when working out becomes an addiction](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/mar/29/working-out-exercise-addiction-signs) 3. [Five EU governments found to ‘consistently’ dismantle rule of law](https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/mar/30/five-eu-governments-consistently-dismantle-rule-of-law-finds-civil-liberties-union-for-europe) 4. [‘Wow, people were so angry at Labour!’ Green MP Hannah Spencer on politics, plumbing, smears and snobbery](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/mar/30/wow-people-were-so-angry-at-labour-green-mp-hannah-spencer-on-politics-plumbing-smears-and-snobbery) 5. [‘I thought, what the hell have I done?’: the people who moved abroad for love – and regretted it](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/mar/29/emigrate-partner-moved-abroad-love-regret) 6. [Who are the Houthis – explained in 30 seconds](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/30/houthis-who-are-they-rebels-fighting-for-iran-war) 7. [Pope seems to rebuke Hegseth in remarks about leaders with ‘hands full of blood’](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/29/pope-rebuke-trump-leaders-with-hands-full-of-blood) 8. [Lawmakers react to reports Pentagon preparing for ground operations in Iran](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/29/pentagon-ground-operations-iran-report) 9. [Big retailers say UK jobs at risk from guaranteed hours reforms](https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/mar/30/big-retailers-uk-jobs-at-risk-guaranteed-hours-reforms) 10. [Will Trump bring peace, or more bombs? Shady speculators seem to bet right every time](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/30/trump-bombs-betting-markets-speculators) ### Most viewed in Technology 1. [Number of AI chatbots ignoring human instructions increasing, study says](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/27/number-of-ai-chatbots-ignoring-human-instructions-increasing-study-says) 2. [‘Soon publishers won’t stand a chance’: literary world in struggle to detect AI-written books](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/29/ai-written-books-novel-shy-girl-publishers) 3. [iPhone 17e review: Apple upgrades its cheapest new smartphone](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/23/iphone-17e-review-apple-cheapest-new-smartphone-chip-magsafe-storage) 4. [How Meta’s victim-blaming failed to sway jurors in landmark social media addiction trial](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/29/meta-loss-social-media-addiction-trial) 5. [‘Our assumptions are broken’: how fraudulent church data revealed AI’s threat to polling](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/28/how-fraudulent-church-data-revealed-ais-threat-to-polling) 6. [‘They feel true’: political deepfakes are growing in influence – even if people know they aren’t real](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/28/military-deepfakes-ai-propaganda-money) 7. [UK iPhone users face over-18 age check to use services after update](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/25/apple-iphone-users-face-over-18-age-check-to-use-services-after-update) 8. [Google AI Overviews put people at risk of harm with misleading health adviceThis article is more than 2 months old](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/02/google-ai-overviews-risk-harm-misleading-health-information) 9. [Meta ordered to pay \$375m after being found liable in child exploitation case](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/24/meta-new-mexico-jury) 10. [Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people, jury finds](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/mar/25/jury-verdict-us-first-social-media-addiction-trial-meta-youtube) - [UK](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news) - [US politics](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) - [World](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [Climate crisis](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) - [Middle East](https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) - [Ukraine](https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) - [Football](https://www.theguardian.com/football) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) - [Business](https://www.theguardian.com/business) - [Environment](https://www.theguardian.com/environment) - [UK politics](https://www.theguardian.com/politics) - [Science](https://www.theguardian.com/science) - [Tech](https://www.theguardian.com/technology) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) - [Obituaries](https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries) More - [News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning [Sign up for our email](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2022/sep/20/sign-up-for-the-first-edition-newsletter-our-free-news-email) - [About us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [Help](https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) - [Complaints & corrections](https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) - [Contact us](https://www.theguardian.com/help/contact-us) - [Tip us off](https://www.theguardian.com/tips) - [SecureDrop](https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) - [Privacy policy](https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) - [Cookie policy](https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) - [Modern Slavery Act](https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2025/09/05/Modern_Slavery_Statement_2025.pdf) - [Tax strategy](https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2025/09/05/Tax_strategy_for_the_year_ended_31_March_2025.pdf) - [Terms & conditions](https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) - [All topics](https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) - [All writers](https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_UK) - [Digital newspaper archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/theguardian.com) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/guardian) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) - [Threads](https://www.threads.com/@guardian) - [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) - [Advertise with us](https://advertising.theguardian.com/) - [Guardian Labs](https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs) - [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Patrons](https://patrons.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=footer_patrons) - [Work with us](https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) - [Accessibility settings](https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) Support the Guardian Available for everyone, funded by readers [Support us](https://support.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=footer_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER%22,%22componentId%22:%22footer_support%22%7D) [Back to top](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin#top) © 2026 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. (dcr)
Readable Markdown	Tesla has suspended customers’ use of bitcoin to purchase its vehicles, [Elon Musk](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/elon-musk) said on Wednesday, citing concerns about the use of fossil fuel for bitcoin mining. Bitcoin, the world’s biggest digital currency, fell almost 17% after the tweet to its lowest point since the beginning of March. It recovered slightly in Asian trading but was still off 12% at \$50,933early on Thursday morning. Musk said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more [sustainable energy](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/10/bitcoin-rise-could-leave-carbon-footprint-size-london). “We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use \<1% of bitcoin’s energy/transaction,” Musk said. Musk said in March that [Tesla](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/tesla) customers can buy its electric vehicles with bitcoin. The digital currency is created when high-powered computers compete against other machines to solve complex mathematical puzzles, an [energy-intensive](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/feb/27/bitcoin-mining-electricity-use-environmental-impact) process that currently often relies on electricity generated with fossil fuels, particularly coal. At current rates, such bitcoin “mining” devours about the same amount of energy annually as the Netherlands did in 2019, the latest available data from the University of Cambridge and the International Energy Agency shows. Q\&A #### What is cryptocurrency? Show ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/22fd50811fb82c02eb84dfccdb1dffea8d2c3a01/0_131_2222_1333/2222.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=bceab69f531d2d6306e9382f418e367a) Cryptocurrencies are an alternative way of making payments to cash or credit cards. The technology behind it allows the ‘money’ to be sent directly to others without it having to pass through the banking system. For that reason they are outside the control of governments and are unregulated by financial watchdogs – and transactions can be made in a way that keeps you reasonably pseudonymous. If you own a crypto-asset you control a secret digital key that you can use to prove to anyone on the network that a certain amount of that asset is yours. If you spend it, you tell the entire network that you have transferred ownership of it, and use the same key to prove that you are telling the truth. Over time, the history of all those transactions becomes a lasting record of who owns what: that record is called the blockchain. [Bitcoin](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/bitcoin) was one of the first and biggest cryptocurrencies and has been on a wild ride since its creation in 2009, sometimes surging in value as investors have piled in – and recently crashing back down. Sceptics warn that the lack of central control make crypto-assets ideal for criminals and terrorists, while libertarian monetarists enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank. The whole concept of cryptocurrencies has been criticised for its ecological impact, with "mining" for new coins requiring [vast energy reserves and the associated carbon footprint](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/10/bitcoin-rise-could-leave-carbon-footprint-size-london) of the whole system. Richard Partington and Martin Belam Tesla revealed in February it had bought \$1.5bn of bitcoin, before it began accepting it as payment for cars in March, driving a roughly 20% surge in the world’s most widely held cryptocurrency. Musk on Wednesday said Tesla would not sell any bitcoin, and intends to use bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy. On Wednesday, Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at currency trading firm OANDA, said that Musk was getting ahead of investors focused on sustainability. “The environmental impact from mining bitcoins was one of the biggest risks for the entire crypto market,” Moya said. “Over the past couple of months, everyone disregarded news that bitcoin uses more electricity than Argentina and Norway.” Chris Weston, head of research at broker Pepperstone in Melbourne, said Musk’s reaction was a blow to bitcoin but an acknowledgement of the currency’s carbon footprint. “Tesla has got an image of being environmentally friendly and bitcoin clearly is the opposite of that,” Weston said. ![LAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2f5df29168c08462a4aa9cc0092d240bc4f8b40d/0_0_3256_2167/master/3256.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) LAN network cables are plugged into a Bitcoin mining computer server in Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy. Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters Musk himself is a strong believer in digital currencies while also advocating for clean technology. “Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment,” Musk said. The dominance of Chinese bitcoin miners and lack of motivation to swap cheap fossil fuels for more expensive renewables could mean there are few quick fixes to the emissions problem. Chinese miners account for about 70% of bitcoin production, data from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Alternative Finance shows. They tend to use renewable energy – mostly hydropower – during the rainy summer months, but fossil fuels – primarily coal – for the rest of the year. In theory, blockchain analysis firms say, it is possible to track the source of bitcoin, raising the possibility that a premium could be charged for green bitcoin. Stronger climate change policies by governments around the world might also help. Some bitcoin proponents note that the existing financial system – with its millions of employees and computers in air-conditioned offices – uses large amounts of energy, too. Musk has been a fan of other cryptocurrencies, firing off tweets this year that have made the [once-obscure digital currency dogecoin](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/05/dogecoins-record-breaking-rise-shoots-the-cryptocurrency-to-wider-attention) well known. Musk said on Sunday that his commercial rocket company SpaceX will be accepting the meme-inspired cryptocurrency as payment to launch a lunar mission next year.
Shard	99 (laksa)
Root Hash	4161074618625082499
Unparsed URL	com,theguardian!www,/technology/2021/may/12/elon-musk-tesla-bitcoin s443