Bitfarms has appointed a new CEO amid its ongoing tussle with a rival attempting to take over its bitcoin mining business.  

Ben Gagnon, who has until now served as Bitfarm's chief mining officer, is stepping into the firm's top executive role, effective immediately, Bitfarms said Monday in a statement. He will oversee efforts to expand Bitfarm’s business globally, focusing on growing the company’s operations in the U.S., according to Bitfarms.

“The Board is confident that Ben is the right person to lead Bitfarms in this next chapter,” Edie Hofmeister, chair of Bitfarm's Independent Search Committee of the Board of Directors, said Monday in a statement.

“During his tenure as Chief Mining Officer, Ben played a significant role in the development of Bitfarms’ growth plan, …