Mining Sector Faces Continued Pressure After Record-High Difficulty in 2025
Bitcoin’s mining network has recorded its first difficulty adjustment of 2026, marking a modest decline after a year defined by rising competition and shrinking miner margins. The change reflects shifting network conditions following an exceptionally challenging period for the global mining industry.
The Bitcoin network’s mining difficulty decreased slightly to 146.4 trillion, representing the first downward adjustment of the year. Mining difficulty measures the computational effort required to validate a new block and plays a central role in regulating block production across the decentralized network.
Despite the dip, average block times currently sit at 9.88 minutes, marginally faster than Bitcoin’s 10-minute target. As a result, projections indicate the next scheduled adjustment in late January could see difficulty rise again toward approximately 148.2 trillion to better align with the protocol’s timing goals.
Throughout 2025, mining difficulty pushed to repeated highs, reflecting intense competition among miners. Although the year ended below the record peak of 155.9 trillion reached in November, elevated difficulty levels compounded operational stress across the sector.
Miners also faced what has been described as the harshest profitability environment on record. The April 2024 halving cut block rewards in half, while weakening crypto prices and macroeconomic uncertainty further squeezed margins. The miner hash price, a key indicator of revenue per unit of computing power, fell below $35 per petahash per second per day in late 2025, well under typical breakeven levels.
Additional pressure came from supply chain concerns and trade tariffs, alongside a sharp market correction that pushed Bitcoin prices more than 30% lower in November. While prices have since recovered, they remain well below last year’s peak, keeping miners cautious as 2026 unfolds.
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This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.