Bitcoin's hashrate surged by 56% in 2024, currently averaging around 787 EH/s. If growth continues at a conservative rate of 20% annually, it could reach 1 zettahash (1,000 EH/s) by 2027. This increase occurs against a backdrop of seven consecutive positive difficulty adjustments since October 2024, marking the first such run since the Chinese mining ban in 2021. As miners face higher energy costs associated with rising hashrates, many are optimizing operations and exploring alternative revenue streams, including trading BTC. The simultaneous increase in hashrate and mining difficulty highlights the pressures facing the mining industry as it adapts to a more challenging environment. Analysts suggest that miners will need to employ innovative strategies to maintain profitability at these levels.

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