The Bitcoin network has become slightly more difficult to mine, with the latest mining difficulty rising to just over 148 trillion. Block times are currently averaging around 9.95 minutes, slightly below the network’s goal of 10 minutes, with adjustments to slow mining slightly.
Expected increase in difficulty
Bitcoin adjusts mining difficulty every 2016 blocks, approximately every two weeks, to keep the average block time close to 10 minutes. Adding blocks too quickly increases the difficulty of the network. If they are late, it goes down.
Currently, miners are adding blocks a little faster than the target. This means increasing challenges for networks to maintain stable production.
Based on CoinWarz estimates, the next correction on January 8, 2026 at block 931,392 is expected to have a difficulty level of over 148 trillion.
Source: CoinWarz
Historical background and market movements
Mining difficulty rose to new highs during 2025, with two sharp increases in September coinciding with the spike in Bitcoin prices at the beginning of the year.
Bitcoin reached $125,100 in October, but has since experienced a significant decline. As prices rise, more mining rigs enter the network, increasing total computing power and making upward adjustment difficult.
Miner costs and network security
Higher difficulty means that miners require more computing power and energy to solve blocks. This can drive up costs and squeeze profit margins, especially for smaller operations.
At the same time, the system protects the network from centralization. If one miner or group controls too much computing power, it could dominate block production or attempt a 51% attack. By adjusting the difficulty level, the network maintains decentralized and secure mining.
Outlook from the investment side
According to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, Bitcoin is likely to experience steady growth over the next 10 years, rather than increasing significantly every year.
He told CNBC he expected “strong returns,” with some moderate ups and downs. Hogan also argues that 2026 is likely to be a positive year for Bitcoin, reflecting the network’s resilience after recent highs and volatility.
Although the increase above 148 trillion is not dramatic, miners’ margins will shrink slightly. Tracking block time, hash rate, and difficulty can help you understand short-term mining profitability.
For investors, difficulty trends indicate real-world efforts to secure Bitcoin, which influences supply and potential selling pressure.
Adjusting network difficulty is routine, but extremely important. These ensure that coins are released steadily, miners remain challenged, and Bitcoin’s decentralized design is maintained.
Featured image from Pixabay, chart from TradingView
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