On June 14th, the Bitcoin network recorded a 10.09% downward difficulty adjustment on block 953,568, which is the second largest decrease observed so far in 2026.
As you can see from the graph, The difficulty level dropped from a level near 139 billion (T) to 124.93T, the lowest level in recent months.
difficulty This is a parameter that Bitcoin automatically adjusts every 2,016 blocks. Maintain a production rate close to 1 block every 10 minutes (approximately every 2 weeks).
A reduction in the total computing power of the network. hash rate,This protocol reduces the difficulty of balancing the system. As a result, Active miners require less computational effort to find blocks and earn rewards.
Bitcoin price crash hits mining profitability
A decrease in difficulty usually occurs when some miners temporarily abandon their activity. This movement comes after The strong correction Bitcoin (BTC) has undergone in recent weeks.
last month, The asset rose from trading around $79,850 to the $64,000 areathis decline worsened the profitability of many miners.
The most affected are typically older ASICs, which are devices specifically designed for BTC mining. Newer models consume less electricity per processing unit, but older equipment becomes less profitable as prices fall or energy costs rise.
The output of these devices is hash rate network aggregation and Difficulty adjustments like those recorded this week will be triggered..
AI competes for miners’ energy
but, The decrease in difficulty does not only correspond to factors related to BTC price..
As explained by CriptoNoticias, a report published by investment bank Bernstein on May 19, 2026 shows that mining companies have an increasing presence in building artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
According to the group, miners control more than 27 gigawatts (GW) of planned energy capacity in the United States. They have signed over $90 billion worth of AI-related agreements.
Bernstein is approx. 3.7 GW already committed to high performance computing services And a data center for AI. The bank’s argument is that the technology industry’s main bottleneck is no longer chips or financing, but access to grid-connected power.
In this context, mining companies start with the significant advantage of already operating energy-intensive data centers and installing electrical infrastructure.
Among the examples Bernstein cited is IREN, which signed a related deal with NVIDIA for $3.4 billion. Riot Platforms has reached an agreement with AMD. Companies such as Core Scientific and Hut 8 have expanded their exposure to computing and digital infrastructure businesses.
Bitcoin mining could face increased competition for one of its most precious resources: electricity, as the share of energy capacity shifts to artificial intelligence projects.
For now, the reduced difficulty comes as a relief to miners who remain active. but, future evolution hash rate It will also depend on how the conflict between mines and AI over energy infrastructure develops.
(Tag Translation)Bitcoin (BTC)
