Bitcoin mining difficulty jumps 15% amid recovery

Bitcoin mining difficulty jumped 15% to 144.4T, the largest rise since 2021, following a hashrate recovery after US storms. Despite low profitability, mining activity remains robust.

Bitcoin mining difficulty has surged by 15% to 144.4 trillion, marking the largest increase since 2021. This significant adjustment comes after a severe winter storm in the United States disrupted the network, causing a sharp drop in hashrate and a preceding 12% decline in difficulty. As the hashrate rebounded, reaching nearly 1 zettahash per second, the Bitcoin protocol recalibrated to maintain block production at roughly every 10 minutes. Despite a slump in bitcoin prices and hashprice remaining at multi-year lows, large-scale miners with access to low-cost energy continue to operate aggressively. The rapid rise in hashrate and difficulty signals a strong recovery in mining activity and heightened competition among miners, even as profitability remains under pressure.