Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Set to Drop for the First Time in Months
The Bitcoin network is expected to see a ~5% reduction in mining difficulty during the upcoming adjustment—its first decline after four consecutive increases. This change is anticipated around Sunday 1:30 AM UTC and reflects a slowdown in block production speed.
Over the past two weeks, the average block time has extended to 10 minutes and 50 seconds, exceeding the target of 10 minutes. This slower pace prompts the automatic difficulty adjustment, a core mechanism designed to stabilize Bitcoin issuance and maintain consistent block intervals.
The upcoming decline signals a pause in the previously sustained rise in mining difficulty. This could provide temporary relief to miners facing high operational costs, especially following Bitcoin's recent halving. The change also stems from a drop in network hashrate, indicating that some miners have reduced computing power—possibly due to tightening profit margins.
This adjustment serves as a reminder that Bitcoin’s self-regulating algorithm continues to adapt to shifting miner economics, maintaining long-term network equilibrium.
