MMMMiners Return to Bitcoin After Exiting the AI Sector
In late summer 2026, Bitcoin's hashrate fell below 850 EH/s due to a migration of computing power into the artificial intelligence sector. By October, the situation had changed: miners returned to cryptocurrency mining, driving network growth.
AI Mining vs. Bitcoin
Total capacity held at around 980 EH/s during the summer but dropped to 850 EH/s by August. Many operators redirected their hardware toward AI tasks as it proved more profitable. In August, the BTC price rose, making crypto mining equipment profitable again.
By October 1, the hashrate reached 1010 EH/s, reflecting a 2.26% growth over 90 days. Mining difficulty fluctuated: dropping from 133.87 T in June to 125.81 T in August before recovering to 132.76 T by the end of September. Further increases are expected, reaching 134.08 T.
Network Power Concentration
Four major pools control over 70% of the network's power:
- Foundry (24.7%) — owned by Digital Currency Group
- AntPool (21.3%) — affiliated with Bitmain
- F2Pool (15.6%)
- ViaBTC (9.4%)
The decentralized currency remains dependent on a few major players who switch between sectors based on current profitability.
