Bitcoin Mining Hashrate Nears 1 ZH/s as AI Data Centers Squeeze Miner Profits

Bitcoin's network computing power is nearing the milestone of one zettahash per second (ZH/s), having reached approximately 974 EH/s on September 1 after surpassing 1.03 ZH/s on August 31. While the surge in computing power significantly enhances network security, it also intensifies competition among miners for the fixed pool of block rewards. With network difficulty adjusting upward, hashprice has compressed to approximately $39 per PH/s per day, squeezing profit margins for operators with older hardware or higher electricity expenses. The compression in mining profitability is driving major public mining companies to diversify power assets into artificial intelligence and high-performance computing infrastructure. For instance, MARA reported a 22% year-over-year increase in hashrate to 70.3 EH/s in Q2 2026, yet quarterly revenue dropped 27% to $174.9 million, prompting the company to actively allocate power between Bitcoin mining and AI workloads across its 1.9 GW portfolio. This structural transition indicates that Bitcoin mining economics are increasingly intertwined with broader energy infrastructure demand. Miners with access to abundant low-cost electricity and modern ASIC fleets are pivoting toward hybrid business models, leveraging long-term AI data center contracts to hedge against volatile cryptocurrency mining yields.