Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Expected to Increase in December as Hashprice Remains Low
Bitcoin miners are experiencing temporary relief as difficulty declines, but forecasts indicate a rise in December.
Bitcoin miners received a temporary respite on Thursday when the network’s mining difficulty dropped. However, this relief might not last long as forecasts predict an uptick in December. The next adjustment is set for December 11, anticipating an increase in difficulty from 149.30 trillion to 149.80 trillion, based on projections from CoinWarz.
While the recent adjustment lowered the mining difficulty to 149.3 trillion—resulting in a slightly improved average block time of 9.97 minutes—bitcoin’s profitability remains in jeopardy. Currently, the hashprice is around $38.3 petahashes per second (PH/s) per day, which has risen from a concerning low of under $35 PH/s on November 21.
A hashprice of $40 PH/s is critical for miners to break even financially. If it stays below this threshold, miners may have to consider deactivating their machines.
Bitcoin’s mining difficulty from 2014-2025. Source: CoinWarz
Despite recent challenges, including regulatory bans, rising energy costs, and geopolitical tensions impacting equipment supply chains, the mining market continues to navigate turbulent waters.
US Investigates Major Crypto Mining Hardware Manufacturer
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently probing Bitmain, a major manufacturer based in China, to assess if their devices could be susceptible to cyberespionage. Senator Elizabeth Warren previously raised concerns about the potential for ASICs being used to surveil U.S. military operations.
Bitmain controls approximately 80% of the ASIC market used in mining cryptocurrencies, making them a crucial player in the industry. Restrictions from U.S. authorities could lead to supply chain disruptions affecting miners across the board.
Related: Thirteen years after the first halving, Bitcoin mining looks very different in 2025
