Bitcoin mining difficulty rises by 15% following a steep decline in February.

crypthub

about 3 hours ago

Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Adjustment

Bitcoin mining difficulty rose 15% to 144.4 trillion after recovering from an 11% drop linked to winter storms in late January. The protocol adjusts difficulty every 2,016 blocks to maintain stable block times. Lower hashrate during the storms prompted a difficulty reduction, which reversed as operations resumed and hashrate climbed to 198 EH/s.

Miners' Adaptation to Downtime

U.S. miners offset shutdowns by participating in demand response programs, selling excess electricity during peak grid demand. LM Funding America generated income exceeding a quarter of its usual quarterly revenue through such programs. Canaan Inc. also reduced power consumption during storms in coordination with grid partners.

U.S. Dominance in Bitcoin Mining

The U.S. has become the largest Bitcoin mining hub post-China’s 2021 ban, with Texas and Georgia hosting major operations. The country accounts for over a third of global hashrate, according to Cambridge Centre data. While geographic concentration exposes the network to weather disruptions, rapid recovery after storms highlights its integration with energy systems and grid flexibility.