Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Drops for 15th Time This Year
The Bitcoin network has undergone its 15th difficulty adjustment of the year at block height 959616. This decrease in mining difficulty, approximately 0.74%, marks a shift in the network's dynamics. Since 2026 began, there have been nine instances of decreased and six instances of increased difficulty.
The recent drop brings Bitcoin mining difficulty from 146.47 trillion to 126.23 trillion, representing a decrease of 13.82%. This has occurred as the price of Bitcoin falls by 26% compared to January 1. The estimated daily revenue per PH/s hashrate (hashprice) has also declined from $37.39 to $32.21.
Some large mining companies have responded to these changes by redirecting electricity resources to AI infrastructure and cloud service clients, a shift that may indicate the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency mining.