The Bitcoin network hash rate has fallen below 1,000 exahash per second (EH/s) for the first time since mid-September, with one analyst suggesting continued interest in AI is a factor in the decline.
Bitcoin’s hashrate now stands at 993 EH/s on a seven-day moving average, after falling below 1,000 EH/s, or 1 zetahash per second (ZH/s), on Saturday, according to Hashrate Index data.
It is currently down nearly 15% from its 7-day moving average peak of 1,157EH/s on October 19th.
Bitcoin hashrate change by 7-day moving average over the past 12 months. sauce: hash rate index
AI pivot is impacting Bitcoin hashrate: analyst
StandardHash CEO and founder Leon Lyu said in a post on X on Monday that the decline was due to Bitcoin miners reallocating power to AI computing services in search of increased profitability.
Last year, TheMinerMag said 2025 would be the “toughest margin environment in history” for Bitcoin miners, with collapsing revenues and soaring debt posing major hurdles.
Bitcoin mining facilities have extensive power access and cooling infrastructure that can be reused beyond SHA-256 hashes, which is why many are turning to artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.
However, he said that Bitmain, the largest Bitcoin mining maker, may be expanding its hashrate off the books through secondary channels or private partnerships, meaning the true network hashrate may be understated.
“Bottom line: Net hashrate outflow confirms tremendous pressure on miner profitability while manufacturers are building up their own surplus inventory. AI is not just a trend, they are actively competing for the grid.”
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This decline occurred despite the fact that Bitcoin mining difficulty has fallen fourfold since November 12, 2025, from 156 trillion to 146.5 trillion. This reduces the amount of computation required to find blocks, making Bitcoin mining easier.
Bitcoin hash prices have also increased from $37.15 to $40 per petahash per day in the last month, indicating that Bitcoin miners are becoming more profitable.
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