Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Drops to 146.4 Trillion in First 2026 Adjustment
The Bitcoin network's mining difficulty decreased slightly in early January 2026, providing modest relief after miners faced their toughest profitability year on record in 2025.
Bitcoin's mining difficulty declined to 146.4 trillion in the first adjustment of 2026, marking a slight easing from the challenging conditions that characterized the previous year [1].
The next difficulty adjustment, projected for January 22, is expected to rise to 148.20 trillion as average block times currently sit at 9.88 minutes—just below the 10-minute target [1]. Despite recent fluctuations, difficulty levels remain considerably below the November record high of 155.9 trillion.
The slight decline comes after what industry observers described as the "harshest margin environment" on record for Bitcoin miners during 2025 [1]. Profitability pressures intensified following the April 2024 halving event, which reduced block subsidies by half, while broader macroeconomic and regulatory challenges compounded difficulties.
Miner hash price—a key profitability indicator measuring expected revenue per computing unit—fell below $35 per petahash-second daily in November 2025, dropping beneath the critical $40 threshold where operations become marginally viable [1]. The situation was further strained by tariffs implemented under President Trump and a market downturn that saw Bitcoin prices fall over 30% to approximately $80,000 in November, well below October's all-time high exceeding $125,000 [1].
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