On November 12, 2023, Bitcoin mining difficulty dropped by 2.37%, falling to 152.27 trillion. This means miners now need to compute approximately 152 trillion hash functions to add a new block to the blockchain and earn 3.125 BTC (about $321,000 at the current rate). Mining difficulty is automatically recalculated every two weeks to maintain a stable pace of Bitcoin issuance, regardless of changes in miner activity.
What Is Bitcoin Mining Difficulty and How Is It Calculated?
Mining difficulty determines how hard it is for miners to find a new block on the Bitcoin network. This metric is recalculated every two weeks so the network can adapt to changes in total computational power. If more miners join and are active, difficulty increases to keep block discovery at the intended rate. If activity drops, difficulty decreases.
Mining Difficulty Trends in 2023
Since July 2023, Bitcoin mining difficulty increased by 33%—from 117 trillion to a record 155 trillion by the end of October. This sharp rise forced some miners to shut down their equipment, which affected the global hashrate: three weeks ago it was 1.31 Zh/s, but by November 13 it had dropped to 1.09 Zh/s. As a result, on November 12, difficulty was adjusted downward by 2.37%. See also: Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Drops in November 2023: Reasons and Outlook
Impact of Difficulty Changes on Miners and the Market
The drop in mining difficulty has become an important signal of industry stabilization. According to Intelion’s Commercial Director Anton Gontarev, even with high difficulty, the market remains sustainably profitable—modern ASIC models continue to deliver positive financial results. Current mining profitability averages 2.7–3.8% per month, or 32–46% annually. A 2–3% difficulty adjustment allows miners to slightly increase their margins and adapt to new conditions. See also: Why Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Dropped in December 2025
Mining and the Rise of the Computational Economy
Bitcoin mining is gradually becoming part of a broader ecosystem of energy-intensive computing. Large companies like Intelion use their data centers not only for cryptocurrency mining but also for artificial intelligence tasks, reducing their dependence on crypto market volatility. According to MARA CEO Fred Thiel, the traditional mining model could become unprofitable without a significant increase in Bitcoin’s price, so diversification and developing proprietary energy sources are becoming key strategies for the industry.
Why This Matters
For Russian miners, a drop in difficulty means temporary relief in mining conditions and an opportunity to boost profitability. It also confirms that the market can adapt to changes and that mining remains profitable even amid high competition. It’s important to monitor difficulty and hashrate trends to respond promptly to industry shifts.
What Should You Do?
- Regularly monitor changes in difficulty and hashrate to adjust your equipment strategy.
- Consider diversifying your business by using capacities not only for mining but also for other computational tasks, such as artificial intelligence.
- Evaluate mining profitability based on current electricity rates and the Bitcoin price.
- Keep an eye on market trends and be prepared for possible difficulty adjustments and changes in profitability.
