PARADOX: 5nm Mining ASIC Achieves Industry-Leading 11 J/TH Efficiency

PARADOX: Pushing 5nm Silicon to Its Theoretical Limits

Building upon the architectural innovations of NEXUS, our PARADOX mining system represents the pinnacle of 5nm ASIC design. With an unprecedented 220 TH/s at just 11 J/TH, PARADOX does not merely compete with industry leaders—it redefines what is possible in Bitcoin mining efficiency.

Evolution of Excellence

PARADOX leverages every lesson learnt from NEXUS whilst exploiting the advantages of TSMCs advanced 5nm process. The result is a mining system that achieves what many considered thermodynamically impossible: sub-12 J/TH efficiency at production scale.

Advanced 3D NoC Architecture: 14-Layer Revolution

PARADOX extends our 3D Network-on-Chip technology with a groundbreaking 14-layer silicon stack, matching the capabilities of modern 5nm process technology:

• Fourteen-Layer Silicon Stack: Maximising vertical integration with fourteen active silicon layers connected through ultra-high-density TSV arrays (>10,000 TSVs per mm²), providing 7x the compute density of traditional planar designs

• Layer-Specific Optimisation: Each layer is optimised for specific functions—compute cores on thermally optimal layers, cache memory on intermediate layers, and control logic distributed strategically throughout the stack

• Vertical Express Lanes: Dedicated high-speed vertical interconnects create express data paths spanning all 14 layers, reducing inter-layer latency to under 0.5ns

• Adaptive Frequency Islands: With 14 layers, we implement frequency islands both horizontally and vertically, allowing precise power management across the entire 3D structure

Power Delivery Innovation

Managing power delivery across 14 layers requires revolutionary approaches. PARADOX introduces our patented Omnidirectional Power Mesh (OPM) technology, which delivers power through both traditional top-side connections and innovative backside power delivery networks. Power is distributed three-dimensionally through the stack, with dedicated power layers at positions 4, 8, and 12, ensuring uniform power delivery to all compute cores with less than 2% voltage drop across the entire structure.

Thermal Excellence Through Multi-Layer Management

Heat dissipation across 14 layers presents unique challenges that PARADOX addresses through multiple innovative approaches. Integrated microfluidic cooling channels are embedded at layers 3, 7, and 11, creating three thermal management zones. Additionally, thermally conductive but electrically insulating diamond substrates are used as interposers between critical layers, providing exceptional heat spreading whilst maintaining electrical isolation.

The Mathematics of Efficiency

The 14-layer architecture enables unprecedented parallelisation of SHA-256 operations. With over 50,000 mining cores distributed across the stack, PARADOX achieves near-linear scaling efficiency. The vertical integration reduces data movement energy by 85% compared to planar designs, as most communication occurs through ultra-short vertical paths rather than long horizontal traces.

Real-World Performance

In our testing facilities, PARADOX systems have demonstrated consistent 220 TH/s performance whilst drawing just 2,420W from the wall. The 14-layer design allows us to operate at lower frequencies per core whilst maintaining aggregate performance, significantly improving energy efficiency. This translates to operational cost savings of 45% compared to current generation competitors.

Manufacturing Excellence

Producing 14-layer 3D ICs requires exceptional manufacturing precision. We have partnered with leading foundries to develop proprietary TSV formation processes that achieve 99.97% yield across all vertical connections. Advanced testing protocols validate every layer independently before final stack assembly, ensuring exceptional reliability.

PARADOX represents not just an incremental improvement, but a fundamental leap forward in mining technology. The 14-layer architecture demonstrates that vertical scaling, when properly executed, can overcome the limitations of process node shrinking. With production scheduled for Q3 2026, forward-thinking mining operations are already securing their allocations.

Contact our enterprise team to discuss how PARADOX can transform your mining operations.