Mining Profitability Calculator

At current difficulty (~80T), you would need roughly 1.1 million TH/s to mine 1 BTC per day. That is equivalent to about 5,500 Antminer S21 units and would consume approximately 19 MW of power. Solo mining 1 BTC/day is achievable only by large industrial operations.

Network difficulty adjusts every 2,016 blocks to maintain a ~10-minute average block time. When more miners join, difficulty increases, reducing individual earnings. When miners leave, difficulty decreases. It is the key variable that determines how much BTC a given hash rate can mine.

Bitcoin mining requires specialized ASIC hardware. Some altcoins can be mined with GPUs, which offer more flexibility but lower efficiency per watt. Altcoin mining can be more profitable during specific market conditions, but Bitcoin offers the most stable and liquid reward.

A mining pool combines hash rate from multiple miners to find blocks more frequently, distributing rewards proportionally. Solo mining with one ASIC would take years between blocks. Pools provide steady, predictable income in exchange for a 1-3% fee. Major pools include Foundry, AntPool, and F2Pool.

The halving reduces the block reward by 50% approximately every 4 years. The 2024 halving cut rewards from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC. Historically, the BTC price eventually rises enough to compensate, but the months following a halving can be challenging for miners with higher costs.

As of 2024, the Antminer S21 (200 TH/s at 17.5 J/TH) and Whatsminer M60S (186 TH/s at 18.5 J/TH) are among the most efficient. Efficiency is measured in joules per terahash (J/TH) -- lower is better. Newer models from Bitmain and MicroBT continue to improve efficiency.

Residential rates range from $0.02/kWh (Kazakhstan, Iran) to $0.30+/kWh (Germany, Denmark). Industrial rates are typically 30-50% lower. The most competitive mining operations are in Paraguay ($0.02-0.04), parts of Texas ($0.03-0.05), and Scandinavia with hydropower ($0.04-0.06).

Buying Bitcoin is simpler, more liquid, and has no hardware risk. Mining makes sense if you have access to cheap electricity, can acquire efficient hardware at wholesale prices, and are willing to manage an ongoing operation. For most individuals, buying Bitcoin directly is more cost-effective.

Miners earn block rewards plus transaction fees from included transactions. During high-demand periods (NFT mints, token launches), transaction fees can temporarily exceed the block reward. This calculator focuses on block rewards; actual revenue may be 5-20% higher when including fees.