For the first time since mid-September, the computational power of the first cryptocurrency has fallen below the psychological threshold of 1000 EH/s, according to data from Hashrate Index.

In the past 24 hours, Bitcoin's hashrate decreased from 1002 EH/s to 992 EH/s.

The smoothed seven-day moving average of Bitcoin's hashrate. Source: Hashrate Index.

At its peak in mid-October, the hashrate was 1157 EH/s. Since then, it has dropped by 15%.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin's mining difficulty continues to decline, making it easier to mine the cryptocurrency by reducing the computational work required to find a block.

Over the past month, the hash price has also risen from $37.15 to $40 per PH/s per day, indicating improved profitability for miners.

Source: Hashrate Index.

Why is the Hashrate Falling?

Leon Lyu, founder of StandardHash, attributed the outflow of power to fundamental changes in the industry. Miners are increasingly redirecting their energy resources to support artificial intelligence tasks in search of higher margins.

Bitcoin Hashrate Alert: A Shift in the Mining Landscape 📉

For the first time since Sept 2025, BTC's 7-day average hashrate has fallen below 1 ZH/s. A -4.34% difficulty adjustment is expected in ~3 days.

What’s driving the exodus? đŸ§”

1ïžâƒŁ The AI Pivot: Major mining firms are
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— Leon Lyu (@LeonLyuLv) January 19, 2026

Previously, analysts at TheMinerMag described the situation as the most serious crisis in the Bitcoin mining sector. Due to falling revenues and rising debts, even companies with efficient equipment and low electricity rates are operating on the brink of profitability.

In this context, the infrastructure of mining centers—access to powerful energy grids and industrial cooling—becomes an optimal base for high-performance computing (HPC). Operators are shifting from the SHA-256 algorithm to leasing power to AI companies.

Lyu also suggested that some manufacturers, like Bitmain, are deploying excess equipment through opaque or indirect schemes. As a result, publicly disclosed hashrate data may understate actual capacities.

“As long as manufacturers connect their excess capacities, the net outflow of hashrate confirms the immense pressure on miners' profitability. AI is not just a trend; it is actively competing for energy grids,” the expert concluded.

It’s worth noting that Justin Bons, founder of the European company Cyber Capital, predicted the collapse of Bitcoin within the next 7-11 years.

According to him, problems will begin with a mining crash—the network's security budget will shrink, leading to attacks in the form of double spending and blockchain reorganization.