Mining Bitcoin today is significantly more challenging than in its early days. Initially, individuals could mine Bitcoin using basic home computers.
However, due to increased competition and rising network difficulty, successful mining now requires specialized hardware known as ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits). These machines are costly, consume large amounts of electricity, and require technical expertise to operate efficiently.
Additionally, miners must often join mining pools to improve their chances of earning rewards, further reducing individual profits. While technically anyone can attempt to mine Bitcoin, doing so successfully and profitably has become difficult for the average person.
Factors such as electricity costs, hardware efficiency, and market volatility make Bitcoin mining far from easy today, and it's often dominated by large-scale operations or corporations.