Bitcoin’s mining difficulty has reached new heights, continuing to shape the dynamics of the cryptocurrency’s ecosystem.
According to CoinWarz’s data, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty surged to a staggering 110.45 trillion, marking a new all-time high.
Source: CoinWarz
This increase comes at a time when Bitcoin’s price has seen some volatility, dipping below $90,000 yesterday before stabilising above $94,000.
Bitcoin is currently priced above $95,000.
The latest difficulty adjustment, which rose by 0.61% from 109.78 trillion to 110.45 trillion, means that it has become harder than ever to mine a new Bitcoin block.
Source: CoinWarz
This difficulty parameter now indicates that the target for hashing computations is 110.45 trillion times more complex than the baseline set when Bitcoin was launched in 2009.
Although the increase adds to the challenges faced by miners, it’s a positive sign for Bitcoin’s network.
A higher difficulty generally signals a stronger and more secure network, as it means more computational power is needed to process transactions.
Despite the higher mining difficulty, Bitcoin’s network hashrate has faltered slightly.
After peaking at 824 exahash per second (EH/s) on 6 January 2025, the hashrate has since dropped to 776.3 EH/s, representing a decline of 47.7 EH/s.
This slowdown in computational power comes alongside the difficulty increase, suggesting that mining operations are feeling the pressure.
Leading the global mining pool is Foundry USA, contributing 34.81% of the total hashrate with around 269.59 EH/s.
Antpool follows closely, accounting for 17.15% of the total hashrate, with approximately 132.84 EH/s.
Viabtc occupies third place, contributing 14.13% with 109.40 EH/s.
Across the network, 65 mining pools are participating, with individual contributions ranging from 192.56 kilohash per second (KH/s) to Foundry’s substantial 265 EH/s.
Source: mempool.space
The challenges faced by Bitcoin miners go beyond the increase in difficulty.
Mining revenue has seen a noticeable dip since mid-December 2024.
On 15 December, the revenue for one petahash per second (PH/s) of hashrate per day stood at $65.10.
However, as of now, that figure has dropped by nearly 20%, to $52.22 per PH/s per day.
The decrease in revenue highlights the ongoing economic pressures within the mining sector, which could impact profitability for many miners in the coming months.
As Bitcoin’s mining difficulty climbs and hashrate slows down, miners are navigating a challenging environment.
The adjustments in the mining metrics indicate a recalibration period for the ecosystem, as it faces shifts in computational power and economic pressures.
How miners adapt to these changes will be crucial in determining the future of Bitcoin mining, as they look for ways to optimise strategies amid fluctuating revenue and increasing costs.
In the face of these challenges, Bitcoin’s overall network resilience remains key.
With the latest price fluctuations and a continuous increase in difficulty, the ecosystem is experiencing a phase of transformation.
According to Bitcoin Perception, the interest on mining has dropped to a one-year low, with limited coverage across mainstream media and social channels.
How mining participants react to these new economic signals could influence the network's direction in the coming months.
After its attempts to convert Amazon and Microsoft, The National center for Public Policy Research is now coming for one of the biggest tech giants out there, Meta. But just like many of the other tech companies out there, Meta is saying no to the think-tank's proposal as this might harbour too much of a risk for the company in the long run.
XingChiJamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan, reiterated his skepticism about Bitcoin, calling it "useless" and without intrinsic value, while highlighting its use in illegal activities. Despite Bitcoin's rise in popularity, Dimon remains unconvinced of its legitimacy and long-term value in the financial landscape.
AnaisEl Salvador continues to buy Bitcoin, including a recent purchase of 11 BTC, increasing its total holdings to over 6,000 BTC. President Bukele has also expressed interest in acquiring Bitcoin seized by the U.S. government, further solidifying the country’s commitment to cryptocurrency.
AnaisAnalyst are speculating that with a little over a week before Donald Trump regains his title as the President of the United States, the outgoing Joe Biden administration might be desperate to to sell off all of the government-held Bitcoin to thwart Trump's plan of creating a Bitcoin reserve.
XingChiStandard Chartered has launched digital asset custody services in Luxembourg, focusing on Bitcoin and Ether, to cater to institutional investors in Europe.
WeatherlyA 24-year-old Dutch law student, once regarded as a crypto genius, was arrested this week after going into hiding after being harassed by investor. The man, who styled himself as a crypto banker, was pursued by his investors after his trading scheme collapsed, leaving around 300 people, including friends and family with losses totaling up to 4.5 million Euros.
XingChiThailand authorities broke into a Bitcoin mining farm in the wee hours of the night and confiscated nearly 1,000 Bitcoin mining machines during a raid on the site located in the Phanat Nikhom district of Chonburi.
XingChiGelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) in Bhutan has added Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Coin to its strategic reserves to strengthen its economy and embrace digital assets. The move follows the introduction of new laws to regulate digital asset services and is part of Bhutan's broader strategy to expand its role in the cryptocurrency market.
AnaisA recent study found that most crypto advice on TikTok is misleading, with over half of videos promoting risky investments without proper warnings. Many influencers push specific coins, make unrealistic promises, and lack proper qualifications, putting viewers at high financial risk.
WeatherlyShiba Inu developer, Kaal Dhairya, has reported a technical issue plaguing the self-custodial authentication system integrated into The Shib Magazine.
CatherineYuga Labs employee has resigned amid controversy surrounding past racially insensitive and antisemitic tweets, sending ripples through the NFT community. The incident has raised concerns about background screenings in the industry and brought past allegations against Yuga Labs back into the spotlight.
JasperThe ongoing legal skirmish involving Bitboy has intensified; he is determined to recover assets that were seized, including a Lamborghini that mysteriously disappeared.
KikyoAn Indian spy is currently facing serious allegations for leaking classified information about Indian Navy submarines and warships to Pakistani intelligence operatives for cryptocurrency, an act that could potentially lead to the death penalty.
JasperThe US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau aims to supervise non-bank digital wallets, emphasising enhanced consumer protections in the digital finance realm.
Hui XinThe company is said to be in discussions with advisors, preparing for a potential initial public offering
BrianThe Justice Department has asserted its need for the authority to seize cryptocurrency from Americans, even without judicial approval.
JasperThe Kazakh government has taken the measure of blocking access to Coinbase's website, citing the exchange's lack of a required operating license within the country.
CatherinePT Pelayaran Korindo will tap into Klaytn and NEOPIN’s expertise in tokenization and blockchain development to tokenize Korindo’s ship-related assets.
ClementIn a move to combat telephone fraud, a law enforcement agency recently executed an operation that led to the apprehension of two individuals, aged 20 and 33. The arrests took place in a public facility, and the suspects are currently under investigation for their involvement in a series of fraudulent activities.
Joy