Bitcoin’s network hashrate has slipped below 1,000 exahash per second (EH/s) for the first time since mid-September, with one analyst attributing the decline to sustained demand for power from artificial intelligence.
The hashrate now stands at about 993 EH/s on a seven-day moving average, after dipping under the 1,000 EH/s, or one zetahash per second (ZH/s), mark on Saturday, according to data from Hashrate Index.
The metric is down nearly 15% from its recent peak of 1,157 EH/s recorded on Oct. 19, based on the seven-day moving average.
AI shift weighs on Bitcoin hashrate, analyst says
In a Monday post on X, StandardHash CEO and founder Leon Lyu said the decline in Bitcoin’s hashrate is being driven by miners redirecting power toward AI compute services in search of better profit margins.
TheMinerMag last year described 2025 as the “harshest margin environment of all time” for miners, citing shrinking revenues and rising debt pressures.
As a result, many operators are pivoting toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, leveraging mining sites’ large-scale power access and cooling infrastructure for uses beyond SHA-256 hashing.
Lyu added that Bitmain, the world’s largest Bitcoin mining hardware manufacturer, may also be ramping up hashrate through off-the-books activity via secondary channels and undisclosed partnerships, suggesting the network’s true hashrate could be higher than publicly reported.
“The Bottom Line: While manufacturers are plugging in their own surplus stock, the net outflow of hashrate confirms the immense pressure on miner profitability. AI isn’t just a trend; it’s actively competing for the grid.”
The decline has occurred even as Bitcoin mining difficulty has adjusted downward four times since Nov. 12, 2025, falling from 156 trillion to 146.5 trillion. Lower difficulty reduces the computational effort required to mine a block, making mining conditions more favorable.
At the same time, Bitcoin hashprice has climbed over the past month, rising from $37.15 to about $40 per petahash per second per day, pointing to improving profitability for miners.
