Bitcoin's Network Reaches a New Milestone, With a Hash Rate of Over 1,000 Exahashes Per Second

This new record signifies a considerable increase in the computational power securing Bitcoin's blockchain.

Bitcoin’s network reached a new milestone, now boasting a hash rate of over 1,000 exahashes per second (1 Zetahash per second) according to data from Cloverpool. This new record marks a significant increase in the computational power securing Bitcoin’s blockchain.

Record High Despite Financial Strain on Miners

This growth in Bitcoin’s hash rate indicates a surge in mining participation and technological improvements in the industry. As of April, the hash reached one sextillion hashes per second. This provides more computing power to the network and contributes to its security.

However, despite these advancements in network strength, Bitcoin miners are facing increasing financial strain. According to Newhedge, a blockchain analytics platform, the revenue of Bitcoin miners plummeted almost 40% year-over-year, shifting from $2 billion in March 2024 to $1.2 billion in March 2025. This is mainly due to the Bitcoin halving in April 2024, cutting block rewards from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC per block. This decrease has made transaction fees increasingly crucial for miners, yet low fees and empty blocks have put further strain on their operations.

Miner Sell-Offs Amid Struggles

According to TheMinerMag, publicly traded mining companies sold over 40% of their own Bitcoin production in March 2025, the largest liquidation rate since October 2024. This is a shift from the post-halving accumulation strategy miners have favored in the past. The struggling hash price conditions and rising market competition led HIVE, Bitfarms, and Ionic Digital to sell more Bitcoin than they mined in the month of March.

The sell-off immediately affected Bitcoin’s market price, which recorded a 2.3% drop in March, following a larger 17.39% correction in February. The release of mining reserves to fund operations creates downward market pressure, which may worsen market conditions.

In addition to financial pressures, U.S.-based Bitcoin miners are contending with trade tariffs that could significantly affect their profitability. Tariffs on mining hardware, particularly those introduced under the Trump administration, have raised the cost of importing essential equipment. According to BullifyX, these tariffs could increase the cost of mining components, further squeezing miners’ profit margins.