Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Set for 9.55% Drop as Hashrate Falls After Bitcoin Price Crash

Bitcoin's mining difficulty is expected to fall by 9.55% in its next network adjustment after a sharp decline in hashrate following the cryptocurrency's early June price drop. According to mining network data cited by TheEnergyMag on June 13, the adjustment would be the second-largest downward difficulty revision of 2026 and could increase the amount of bitcoin miners earn for each unit of active hashrate.

The projected adjustment follows a drop in Bitcoin's seven-day average hashrate from around 1 zettahash per second at the end of May to 861 exahashes per second on June 10. During the same period, Bitcoin briefly fell to $60,000, pushing hashprice below $30 per petahash per second and increasing pressure on mining operators with higher electricity costs and less efficient equipment.

The decline in mining revenue brought some operations closer to breakeven levels, making it less economical for higher-cost miners to keep machines online.

The difficulty reduction could provide temporary relief for miners by improving mining economics if Bitcoin's price and transaction fee levels remain stable. TheEnergyMag also noted that part of the hashrate decline may be linked to power capacity being redirected toward AI and high-performance computing data centers, as well as seasonal power curtailments by miners in Texas during the state's annual 4CP period.

AI Data Center Expansion and Texas Power Market Dynamics May Also Have Reduced Hashrate

TheEnergyMag said the hashrate decline may not have been driven only by weaker mining economics. The publication pointed to miners redirecting power capacity from Bitcoin mining toward high-performance computing and AI data center workloads.

Several public miners have been unplugging rigs or slowing mining growth as they convert sites for contracted AI and HPC use, according to the report. That shift can reduce the Bitcoin network hashrate even when the same power capacity remains in operation.

Texas power-market rules may have also contributed to the decline. The state’s 4CP season began in June, giving large electricity users in ERCOT an incentive to reduce consumption during peak-demand windows that help determine future transmission charges.

For miners, that can make curtailment financially attractive even when real-time power prices are not high. TheEnergyMag said the recent hashrate rebound suggests part of the early June decline may have been temporary curtailment rather than a permanent shutdown of mining capacity.