Quick Take
2023 marks a noticeable development in Bitcoin’s operational dynamics through a shift in difficulty adjustment—a mechanism that ensures consistent block discovery times despite varying hash power. Out of the 18 adjustments that have transpired so far this year, six have been negative, accounting for 33% of the total adjustments this year.
The most recent adjustment registered a 3% downward shift, coinciding with a roughly 5% decline from the all-time high hash rate. This has resulted in the hash rate sitting at sub-400 eh/s. The prevalence of negative adjustments could signal a drop in mining activity or a decrease in mining efficiency, which have critical implications for the network’s sustainability and the cryptocurrency’s market dynamics.
James Van Straten
James fervently appreciates data, technology, and trend-spotting. As a tech and liberty maximalist, he hails Bitcoin as the 21st century’s paramount invention.
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