Bitcoin hashrate at 4-month low as AI competes for the grid: Analyst

2026-01-19 07:28:34

Source: CryptoNewsNet Original Title: Bitcoin hashrate at 4-month low as AI competes for the grid: Analyst Original Link: The Bitcoin network hashrate has fallen under 1,000 exahash per second (EH/s) for the first time since mid-September, with one analyst tipping the decline to continued interest in AI.

The Bitcoin hashrate is currently 993 EH/s on a seven-day moving average, after dropping below 1,000 EH/s, or 1 zetahash per second (ZH/s), on Saturday, according to Hashrate Index data.

It has now fallen nearly 15% since its seven-day moving average peak of 1,157 EH/s on Oct. 19.

Bitcoin’s change in hashrate on a seven-day moving average over the last 12 months. Source: Hashrate Index

AI pivot is impacting Bitcoin hashrate: Analyst

StandardHash CEO and founder Leon Lyu attributed the fall to Bitcoin miners reallocating power to AI compute services in pursuit of higher profitability margins.

Last year, TheMinerMag called 2025 the “harshest margin environment of all time” for Bitcoin miners due to collapsing revenue and surging debt as major obstacles.

Many have turned to artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, as Bitcoin mining facilities feature large-scale power access and cooling infrastructure that can be repurposed beyond SHA-256 hashing.

However, he said Bitmain, the largest Bitcoin mining manufacturer, may be scaling its hashrate off-the-books through secondary channels and undisclosed partnerships — meaning true network hashrate may be underestimated.

“The Bottom Line: While manufacturers are plugging in their own surplus stock, the net outflow of hashrate confirms the immense pressure on miner profitability. AI isn’t just a trend; it’s actively competing for the grid.”

The fall also comes despite the Bitcoin mining difficulty dropping four times since Nov. 12, 2025, from 156 trillion to 146.5 trillion, which makes Bitcoin mining easier by reducing the amount of computational work needed to find a block.

The Bitcoin hashprice has also risen from $37.15 to $40 per petahash per second per day over the last month, signaling improving Bitcoin miner profitability.

BTC-2,14%

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