Riot Blockchain (RIOT) slides 4.7% in premarket trading after announcing that it will focus on bitcoin mining and pursue opportunities more directly related to bitcoin mining.Historically, Riot produced bitcoin, bitcoin cash, and litecoin and invested in several companies and internal initiatives focusing on blockchain technologies.As a result, it will "sunset" further development of its U.S.-based digital currency exchange, known as RiotX Exchange and is considering divesting its assets associated with RiotX.Riot has hired XMS Capital Partners to assist in evaluating its strategic growth opportunities and in advising on potential transactions in bitcoin-mining related operations.As of mid-Febuary, Riot's overall hashrate was 240 petahash per second, consuming ~12 MW of energy.The company plans to provide updates on monthly production levels, starting with a report shortly after the February 2020 production totals are reconciled and continuing for at least three months.Bitcoin is down 0.3% to $9,600.45; yesterday, bitcoin traded as high as $10,191.68 yesterday.
