CASTLE ROCK, CO / ACCESSWIRE / July 23, 2018 / Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT) (the “Company”) announces the beta development of its own private Bitcoin Mining Pool. Mining pools are groups of miners that work as a team and contribute their hashing power to solving computations that secure the blockchain. By pooling resources, miners increase the odds and consistency of receiving block rewards, which are the fees collected as part of Bitcoin’s “proof of work” security model.

Securing the Bitcoin network is based heavily on the distributed nature of mining power. As mining pools have become more popular, higher percentages of the global hash rate have become centrally managed. This centralization has created potential security concerns within the Bitcoin community. The Company is privately testing its own mining pool platform intending to provide an alternative to major players such as AntPool and BTC.com, which are owned and operated by Bitmain.

About Riot Blockchain

Riot Blockchain is focused on building, supporting, and operating Blockchain technologies, primarily through its cryptocurrency mining operations and other internally developed businesses, as well as through potential joint ventures, acquisitions, and targeted investments in the sector. For more information, visit http://www.RiotBlockchain.com/.

Investor Notice

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and forward-looking statements described under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the SEC on April 17, 2018 (the “2017 10-K”) and in periodic reports we file with the SEC in the future. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. In addition, our past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results in the future. See “Safe Harbor” below.

Safe Harbor

The information provided in this press release may include forward-looking statements relating to future events or the future financial performance of the Company. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “should,” “potential,” “hope” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying them. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations of the Company and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to our history of operating losses, the Company’s ability to successfully implement our new business strategy, our rapidly increasing costs, the Company’s ability to raise additional capital, risks relating to acquisitions, joint ventures and investments in other companies or technologies, the value of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which historically has been subject to wide swings, legal proceedings, governmental and other regulations affecting the Company’s business and cryptocurrencies and changes in such regulations, growth in the adoption and use of cryptocurrencies, shortages, technological obsolescence and difficulty in obtaining hardware, system failures, computer viruses and cybersecurity threats, technological change, risks associated with the Company’s need for significant electrical power, the Company’s ability to successfully develop, market and launch any cryptocurrency exchange, the Company’s ability to protect the confidentiality of its trade secrets, competition, general economic conditions and other factors discussed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the factors described in the sections entitled “Risk Factors”, copies of which may be obtained from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, changed circumstances or future events or for any other reason.

Media Contacts:

PR@RiotBlockchain.com

Investor Contact:

IR@RiotBlockchain.com

SOURCE: Riot Blockchain, Inc.