Bitcoin’s mining difficulty decreased marginally on Saturday, dropping from an all-time high of 126.9 trillion recorded on May 31 to approximately 126.4 trillion, according to CryptoQuant data.
Mining difficulty and network hashrate—measures of the competitiveness and total computing power securing Bitcoin—impact miners by increasing operational costs and competition. Since the April 2024 halving reduced block rewards, miners have faced tighter profit margins amid rising expenses and heightened mining difficulty.
Despite these challenges, some publicly traded mining firms are expanding production and holding onto their Bitcoin reserves rather than selling to cover costs.
- MARA reported a 35% increase in BTC output during May, mining 950 Bitcoin amid record hashrate and volatile markets. The firm’s treasury holdings now total 49,179 BTC, making it one of the largest Bitcoin holders globally. CFO Salman Khan confirmed the company did not sell any Bitcoin in May.
- CleanSpark, a public miner focusing on clean energy, boosted BTC production by 9% in May, mining 694 Bitcoin. Its total reserves reached 12,502 BTC. The company also increased its hashrate by 7.5% month-over-month to 45.6 exahashes per second.
This emerging strategy of accumulating mined Bitcoin as a treasury asset marks a shift in how miners manage finances amid growing operational pressures.