The Bitcoin network hashrate has fallen below 1 zetahash per second for the first time in four months despite improving miner profitability.
Data shows the seven-day moving average hashrate slipped to 993 exahash per second after dropping under the 1,000 EH/s mark.
The decline represents a near 15% fall from the recent peak of 1,157 EH/s recorded in October.
Analysts said the drop reflects miners redirecting power resources away from Bitcoin mining.
StandardHash chief executive Leon Lyu linked the decline to growing competition from artificial intelligence workloads.
“The bottom line is that while manufacturers are plugging in their own surplus stock, the net outflow of hashrate confirms the immense pressure on miner profitability. AI isn’t just a trend; it’s actively competing for the grid,”
Leon Lyu said.
Industry reports have described 2025 as one of the toughest margin environments for Bitcoin miners.
Falling revenues and rising debt levels have forced miners to seek alternative income streams.
Many mining firms are repurposing infrastructure to support AI and high-performance computing services.
Bitcoin mining facilities offer large-scale power access and cooling systems that can be adapted for non-crypto uses.
Lyu suggested some manufacturers may be deploying excess machines through indirect arrangements.
He said such activity could mean publicly reported hashrate figures understate actual mining capacity.
The hashrate decline comes despite Bitcoin mining difficulty falling several times since November.
Lower difficulty reduces the computational effort required to mine new blocks.
Bitcoin hashprice has increased over the past month, signalling modest improvements in miner profitability.
Analysts said the contrasting trends highlight ongoing structural pressure on the mining sector.
At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $92,467.84.