Bitcoin mining profitability has reached a critical level – according to data from CryptoQuant

SerNgmi · 2026-02-09T16:01:41+00:00

Bitcoin miners are facing significant profitability challenges, with earnings reaching a 14-month low. Factors include a drop in Bitcoin prices and high mining difficulty. Natural disasters, such as a recent winter storm, have further disrupted operations, compounding the industry's struggles.

SerNgmi

2026-02-09 16:01:41

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According to analytical data from leading blockchain monitoring platforms, Bitcoin miners’ profitability has dropped to its lowest level in the past fourteen months. This indicator signals serious challenges faced by network participants, as their profitability today is at a critically low level. At the time of writing, the price of BTC is $69,390 with a 24-hour decline of 2.40%, reflecting the overall unfavorable market dynamics.

How Miners’ Profitability Metrics Have Fallen

According to ChainCatcher data, the miners’ profitability index has fallen to 21, the lowest value recorded since November 2024. This means that revenue per unit of computational power has reached a critically low level. CryptoQuant analysts attribute this sharp decline to a combination of factors: a significant drop in Bitcoin’s price during the current week coupled with high network mining difficulty, making each mining operation less profitable.

Challenge: Declining Hash Rate and Network Difficulty

Despite the consistent slowdown of Bitcoin’s hash rate over the past five difficulty adjustment cycles, the situation remains extremely tense for miners. This metric, currently at its lowest since September 2024, should have positively impacted profitability; however, the price decline of Bitcoin proved to be a stronger factor, outweighing the positive effect of reduced difficulty. Consequently, miners must consider both aspects of the situation simultaneously.

Natural Disasters as an Additional Blow to Miners

In addition to objective market factors, some miners, especially those located in the United States, have faced additional challenges due to a recent powerful winter storm sweeping through the eastern regions of the country. Natural disasters caused significant infrastructure damage from ice and snow in several states, leading to disruptions in mining operations. Thus, miners are facing both market pressure and exogenous factors, which have deepened their operational and financial difficulties.

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