BTC Hashrate Breaks 1 Zettahash Barrier as Mining Revenue Sinks to Record Lows

Bitcoin’s network has reached a historic milestone, surpassing a hashrate of 1 zettahash per second (ZH/s) for the first time ever, according to Glassnode. The achievement reflects a thousandfold increase from 2016, when Bitcoin first crossed 1 exahash per second (EH/s), and signals a new era of network security and computational power.

The new all-time high in hashrate eclipses the previous peak of 975 EH/s recorded on January 31. However, the surge has not translated into miner profitability. Hashprice—representing miner revenue per unit of computational power—has plunged to a record low of $42.40 per EH/s per day, squeezed by increasing difficulty, low fee activity, and declining bitcoin prices.

Following the hashrate spike, the network’s difficulty adjustment rose by nearly 7% on Sunday, reaching a record 121.5 trillion (T). This is the most significant upward difficulty change since July 2024 and part of a broader trend: 14 of the last 17 adjustments have been positive. The adjustment mechanism ensures block production remains steady at roughly 10-minute intervals despite fluctuating miner participation.

CoinDesk research published on April 3 flagged the ongoing rise in hashrate, even as bitcoin’s price showed signs of weakness. Since that report, BTC has dropped another 10%, now hovering near $77,000. Analysts partially attribute the slide to geopolitical pressures, including new tariffs imposed by President Trump’s administration.

While the 1 ZH/s figure was reached on a 24-hour basis—a metric that can be volatile due to random variations in block times—longer-term averages offer a more stable view. The 7-day moving average currently sits at 879 EH/s, underscoring that while the zettahash moment is symbolic, sustained growth remains below that mark.

Despite the celebratory tone of hitting 1 ZH/s, the reality for miners is increasingly difficult. With revenues squeezed and network competition intensifying, the milestone underscores both the growing power and growing pressures in the world of Bitcoin mining.