Bitcoin Mining Tightens: Difficulty Rises to 110.45 Trillion Amid Declining Hashrate and Revenue

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty has increased slightly by 0.61%, rising from 109.78 trillion to 110.45 trillion. Meanwhile, the network’s hashrate has experienced a decline, dropping from its peak of 824 exahash per second (EH/s) on Jan. 6, 2025, to the current level of 778 EH/s.

Difficulty Adjustment and Network Challenges

Since block height 878,976 was mined, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty has become marginally tougher, reflecting a 0.61% adjustment. This new difficulty level indicates that the computational target is now 110.45 trillion times more challenging than the baseline set when Bitcoin launched in 2009.

The network’s hashrate—a measure of computational power contributing to Bitcoin mining—has dipped by 46 EH/s from its recent peak. This decline signals a potential recalibration phase for the ecosystem.

Mining Pool Contributions

Foundry USA continues to dominate Bitcoin mining, contributing 34.73% of the global hashrate, equivalent to 265 EH/s. Antpool follows with 17.01%, accounting for just over 130 EH/s, while Viabtc secures the third position with 109 EH/s, representing 14.26% of the total network power.

Across the network, 65 mining pools or entities contribute hashrate, with outputs ranging from 192.56 kilohash per second (KH/s) to Foundry’s substantial 265 EH/s.

Revenue Decline Pressures Miners

Bitcoin miners are facing decreased revenues, marking a challenging economic period. Over the last 30 days, miner earnings have hit their lowest point for the month. On Dec. 15, 2024, one petahash per second (PH/s) of hashrate per day generated $65.10. As of today, that figure has dropped to $52.22, representing a 19.79% revenue reduction.

Ecosystem Resilience and Future Outlook

These recent shifts in mining metrics—difficulty increases, declining hashrate, and reduced revenues—highlight the adaptability of Bitcoin’s ecosystem. The evolving economic pressures may influence mining strategies, with participants recalibrating their operations to remain competitive.

As the network continues to adapt, its resilience will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Bitcoin mining and maintaining its decentralized structure.