Bitcoin's hashrate has recently surged to unprecedented levels, marking a significant milestone in the cryptocurrency's history. Here are some key points about this surge:
1. Record Highs: As of early January 2025, Bitcoin's hashrate reached between 813 and 823 exahashes per second (EH/s)¹. This is a substantial increase from previous levels and indicates a strong start to the new year.
2. Mining Difficulty: The surge follows a recent difficulty adjustment on December 29, 2024, which saw an increase from 108.52 trillion to 109.78 trillion¹. This adjustment reflects the growing computational power required to mine Bitcoin.
3. Mining Pools: Major mining pools like Foundry USA, Antpool, and Viabtc are leading the charge, with Foundry USA contributing over 37% of the total hashrate¹. This concentration of power has raised some concerns about decentralization.
4. Historical Context: This surge coincides with the 16th anniversary of Bitcoin's Genesis block, which was mined by Satoshi Nakamoto on January 3, 2009¹. The network has maintained an impressive uptime of 99.9894% since then.
5. Global Impact: The increase in hashrate reflects growing interest and investment in Bitcoin mining, signaling confidence in the network's long-term security and stability².
This surge in hashrate is a testament to the resilience and growing adoption of Bitcoin. Do you have any specific questions about Bitcoin or its mining process?
