Final week, as share costs ripped upwards of fifty% to ranges not seen for the reason that 2018 cryptocurrency bullrun, Riot Blockchain (NASDAQ: RIOT) appointed former director of the itemizing committee for the Toronto Inventory Change Hubert Marleau to the Riot board of administrators. 

The Colorado-based agency was out there for a brand new director after the departure of former Canadian Cupboard member Remo Mancini. Marleau brings a variety of regulatory and governing expertise to Riot, having additionally served as governor of the Montreal and Vancouver inventory exchanges. Marleau additionally boasts a powerful tutorial background, and he presently serves as a chair for a lecture collection in his title on the College of Ottawa.

Marleau’s appointment comes amid an unusually sturdy week for RIOT share value. RIOT closed at $6 even after opening the week at $4.10, simply outpacing Bitcoin’s almost 20% rise. On the 12 months, RIOT is up almost 500% from $1.22.

Appointing a brand new director will not be the one transfer that the mining big has made in latest weeks. Riot agreed to an enormous 8,000-unit, $17.7 million-dollar buy of latest Antminer S19 Professional Bitcoin mining rigs to increase operations in August.

The acquisition could also be an effort to stave off rival mining agency Marathon Patent Group’s efforts to swipe the “Prime Miner in North America” crown. As Cointelegraph beforehand reported, Marathon themselves bought 10,000 S19 Professional items in late October.

Like Riot, Marathon Patent Group’s MARA ticker is buying and selling a lot greater on the week, closing at $3.39 value after a $2.38 Monday open.