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Bitcoin's mining difficulty dropped to only over 146 trillion in the course of the network's first recalibration in 2026, providing small but measurable relief for miners. According to multiple reports, the adjustment accomplished in early January lowered the metric from end-2025 levels.
Initial adjustment provides transient relief
Average block times across the network were around 9.88 minutes on the time of the change – barely faster than Bitcoin's goal of 10 minutes – contributing to a slight downgrade in difficulty. This gap implies that the protocol has briefly reduced the hurdle for miners as blocks have been produced barely faster than expected.
Despite this decline, difficulty reportedly stays high in comparison with previous years and miner margins are under pressure following the halving in 2024 and heavy hardware investments in 2025. Some miners reported lower returns because the hash price weakened and energy and equipment costs remained high. The drop to 146.4T provides transient relief, not a trend reversal.
Source: CoinWarz
Next adjustment expected on January twenty second
Based on estimates from CoinWarz and other trackers, the subsequent difficulty recalculation is forecast for January 22, 2026, with a probable increase towards 148 trillion as average block times catch up with to the 10-minute goal again. If this pattern continues, the lull in difficulty will only be temporary and competition amongst miners could increase again.
BTCUSD is currently trading at $90,809. Chart: TradingView
Why the number is significant
The difficulty lies within the protocol's built-in approach to keeping block production stable: it changes every two weeks (2016 blocks) to match the entire computing power securing the chain. As more hashing power is added, the problem increases; If it falls down or jams too quickly, the problem decreases. These adjustments affect how quickly miners find blocks and the way much work they should do to receive rewards.
Miners will regulate hash rate trends, electricity costs, and Bitcoin price, as these aspects determine profitability in the times following an adjustment. Meanwhile, markets often take such technical adjustments in stride, but sustained changes in difficulty or hash power can indicate broader changes in miner behavior that may impact supply dynamics over time.
According to the most recent reporting, the primary adjustment in January lowered the problem to around 146.4T and the block time averaged 9.88 minutes. Estimates suggest a probable increase to around 148.20 tonnes around January 22 if conditions change as expected. Observers say the change gives miners temporary respiratory room but doesn’t eliminate the financial pressures many face through 2025.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
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