Alexander Savenkov Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Reaches Historic High of 72 Trillion Amidst Increased Hashrate and $600 Million Spent on ASICs in December
On December 23, 2023, the world of Bitcoin mining witnessed a remarkable milestone as the mining difficulty reached an unprecedented level at block height 822,528. This surge in difficulty, amounting to a 6.98% increase, represents the most significant escalation observed in nine months, dating back to March 23. This milestone has set a new benchmark, making the process of discovering block rewards more challenging than ever before, with the difficulty peaking at an astonishing 72.01 trillion.
The substantial ascent in mining difficulty signifies a substantial leap, ascending from 67.30 trillion to an arduous 72.01 trillion. This metric, known as Bitcoin’s mining difficulty, is defined by a specific target hash value that miners must strive to achieve.
In essence, with a difficulty level of 72 trillion, miners are tasked with generating a hash value below this threshold to successfully mine a new block. Following this 6.98% surge, it is expected that the next difficulty adjustment will take place around January 5, 2024.
Concurrently, in alignment with the spike in difficulty, the network’s hashrate has reached unprecedented heights, hitting an all-time high on December 24, 2023. Data from Luxor’s hashrateindex.com reveals that the seven-day simple moving average (SMA) of BTC’s hashrate has reached an impressive 538 exahash per second (EH/s).
This record-breaking figure was achieved shortly after the network reported a historic peak of 527 EH/s on December 20. As of December 24, approximately 50 mining pools are contributing SHA256 hashrate to the BTC network, with Foundry USA leading the way, commanding 32.30% or 173.55 EH/s of the total hashrate.
Antpool is not far behind, contributing 26.95% or 144.81 EH/s. Together, these two pools dominate, holding 59.25% of Bitcoin’s aggregate hashrate over the past three days. At present, just slightly over 17,000 blocks remain until the anticipated halving event, which is projected to occur around the end of March or the beginning of April 2024.
This surge in hashrate aligns with the substantial expansion of bitcoin mining operations. Throughout 2023, the three leading application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) manufacturers unveiled their latest next-generation mining rigs. Mining entities have aggressively integrated these new machines into their operations, significantly enhancing efficiency, particularly in terms of joules per terahash.
According to reports from the Financial Times, there has been a notable investment surge, with publicly listed mining companies investing $600 million in new machinery in December alone, and a total of $1.3 billion spent on ASIC acquisitions over the course of the year, as reported by The Miner Mag.
The cryptocurrency community is eagerly watching these developments, and the impact of this remarkable increase in mining difficulty on the Bitcoin network is a topic of keen interest. Share your thoughts and insights on this subject in the comments section below.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Bitcoin Mining Difficulty
What is Bitcoin mining difficulty, and why is it important?
Bitcoin mining difficulty is a measure of how hard it is to mine new blocks on the Bitcoin blockchain. It’s important because it determines how much computational power is needed to solve complex mathematical puzzles and earn rewards.
What does a mining difficulty of 72 trillion signify?
A mining difficulty of 72 trillion means that miners must find a hash value below this threshold to successfully mine a new block. It indicates a highly competitive and challenging environment for miners.
How does the hashrate relate to Bitcoin mining difficulty?
The hashrate represents the total computational power of the Bitcoin network. When the hashrate increases, it signifies more miners and greater network security, often accompanying a rise in mining difficulty.
What impact does the surge in mining difficulty have on Bitcoin?
A higher mining difficulty means it’s more challenging to mine new Bitcoins. This can affect the rate at which new Bitcoins are created and, in turn, influence supply and demand dynamics in the cryptocurrency market.
Why did mining companies invest $600 million in ASICs in December?
Mining companies invested heavily in ASICs to improve mining efficiency and competitiveness. These investments are aimed at maximizing returns in the highly competitive Bitcoin mining industry.
More about Bitcoin Mining Difficulty
- Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Explained
- Bitcoin Hashrate Hits Record High
- ASIC Mining: Everything You Need to Know
- Bitcoin Halving Explained
2 comments
Impressive numbers, wonder what’s next for bitcoin.
72 trillion, that’s insane, but what’s up with those ASICs?