Bitcoin Mining Profitability At Historic Lows, Data Show

As a seasoned analyst with extensive experience in the Bitcoin mining industry, I’ve witnessed the dynamic nature of this space firsthand. The current state of Bitcoin mining is anything but simple. Although Bitcoin trades around all-time highs, miners are facing unprecedented challenges.


As the complexity of Bitcoin mining increases, the landscape is transforming: Soaring network hashrates are leading miners to experience decreased profits despite near-record Bitcoin trading prices. This shift is squeezing miner margins and fueling debates about the future direction of Bitcoin mining.

Record Hashrate, Falling Income

As a crypto investor, I’m excited about the potential profits miners could be making with Bitcoin hovering around $63,500. However, the reality is more intriguing than that. The hashrate of the Bitcoin network has skyrocketed to an astounding 635 exahashes per second (EH/s). This surge in computational power has intensified the mining competition like never before.

The computational power required for processing transactions on proof-of-work blockchains, represented by the hashrate, has seen a significant increase since last November, when Bitcoin’s price was roughly equivalent. At that time, the average hashrate stood at approximately 161 Exahashes per second (EH/s).

The Hashrate Index’s data indicates that the “daily earning per TH/s” or “hash price,” has reached its lowest point in five years, currently at $51.13 as of July 16. This decline implies an increase in the cost to extract one block, subsequently reducing the profitability for individual miners despite Bitcoin’s high market value.

Bitcoin Mining Profitability At Historic Lows, Data Show

Expert Views

Industry experts are providing insights on the current state of Bitcoin mining. According to Kurt Wuckert Jr., CEO and founder of Bitcoin SV mining pool Gorilla Pool, the profitability for miners utilizing SHA256 blockchains is nearing a six-year low. Wuckert points out that certain Bitcoin mining operations based in the US continue to function, their profits bolstered not only by their mining activities but also by the value of their stocks.

At Crypto Connect Palm Beach in Miami, Wuckert expressed concerns over the current market conditions and advised the audience against investing in cryptocurrencies or blockchain technology hardware such as mining equipment due to the prevailing uncertainties.

Bitcoin Mining Profitability At Historic Lows, Data Show

The intricacy of electricity usage in mining was highlighted by him, noting how miners’ substantial energy expenditure creates opportunities for profit through power trading, thereby intensifying the Bitcoin mining economy.

Centralization Concerns

The concentration of mining power in Bitcoin is becoming a topic of growing concern among community members. According to reports from Gorilla Pool’s news release and a Bitcoin.com analysis conducted in June, two mining pools, Foundry and Antpool, mined approximately 54% of all Bitcoin blocks during the past year.

Through combining their processing power, mining pools enable individual miners to boost their prospects of successfully extracting blocks. However, this method has led to a situation where a few dominant companies wield an significant portion of the network’s hash rate. This centralization undermines Bitcoin’s decentralized nature, making the network more susceptible to potential security threats and governance issues.

The Road Ahead

Mining Bitcoin has become a complex and perplexing landscape for miners due to shifting economic conditions. With all-time high hashrates clashing against decreasing hash prices, profitability is being squeezed, forcing miners to navigate a fiercely competitive market.

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2024-07-17 07:42