Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Falls in First 2026 Adjustment
Bitcoin mining difficulty declined slightly to 146.4 trillion on Thursday, marking the first difficulty adjustment of 2026.
“The next Bitcoin difficulty adjustment is estimated to take place on Jan 22, 2026, 04:08:12 AM UTC, increasing the Bitcoin mining difficulty from 146.47 T to 148.20 T,” according to CoinWarz.
Average block times were 9.88 minutes at the time of publication, below the 10-minute target, indicating a modest increase in difficulty at the next adjustment to align with the target interval.
The Bitcoin network mining difficulty. Source: CryptoQuant
Mining difficulty set new highs during 2025, with the final adjustment of the year posting a small increase. Even so, it remained below the November peak of 155.9 trillion. Rising difficulty reflects greater competition for block production, adding pressure to an industry already contending with macroeconomic, regulatory, and financial challenges in 2025.
2025 marked the toughest margin conditions on record for Bitcoin miners
Miner profitability deteriorated significantly as the April 2024 halving cut the block subsidy by 50% amid broader macroeconomic factors. The market downturn that began in November added further strain on miners and mining companies.
Miner hash price — a key profitability metric tracking expected revenue per unit of computing power — fell below breakeven levels in November 2025.
Miner hash price over a 1-year period. Source: Hashrate Index
The $40 per petahash-second per day threshold is commonly used as a decision point for powering down rigs; in November, the metric dropped below $35, a multi-year low.
Tariffs enacted by US President Donald Trump also weighed on miners, raising concerns over potential supply chain constraints.
A sharp market sell-off, triggered by an October flash crash, pushed BTC down more than 30% into November, when the asset touched a low just above $80,000. While Bitcoin has rebounded since, prices remain well below the October all-time high above $125,000.
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