Global, April 15, 2025 – The Bitcoin network has achieved a monumental milestone, with its hashrate reaching an unprecedented 900 exahash per second (EH/s)—equivalent to 900 quintillion hashes per second (900,000,000,000,000,000,000 hashes/s). This record-breaking figure, reported by multiple sources including CoinWarz and posts on X, underscores the growing computational power securing the Bitcoin blockchain, even amidst economic and regulatory challenges.
The hashrate, a critical metric of the total computing power dedicated to mining Bitcoin, reflects the network’s security and resilience. On April 6, 2025, Bitcoin’s hashrate had already climbed to 900 EH/s, and this latest surge confirms the sustained upward trajectory, with some reports noting a peak of 1,000 EH/s earlier in the year. This growth comes despite the Bitcoin halving in April 2024, which reduced the block reward from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, a change that historically pressures miners’ profitability. Yet, miners have continued to invest heavily, driven by Bitcoin’s price hovering around $84,870 as of April 14, 2025, and advancements in mining technology.
This milestone follows a year of remarkable hashrate growth. In January 2024, the network’s hashrate was approximately 510 EH/s, meaning it has nearly doubled within 15 months. The surge is attributed to the deployment of more efficient ASIC miners, such as Bitmain’s S21 XP+ Hyd, which boasts a hashrate of 390 TH/s while consuming 7,215 watts, and the increasing adoption of renewable energy sources by mining operations to offset costs. For context, the Bitcoin network’s hashrate was just 736.81 EH/s in October 2024, highlighting the rapid pace of growth in a matter of months.
The implications of this hashrate record are significant. A higher hashrate enhances the network’s resistance to attacks, as it becomes exponentially more difficult for a malicious actor to control 51% of the computing power—a feat that would require an estimated $15 billion in hardware and energy costs at current rates, according to some analysts. However, some skeptics on X have questioned whether raw hashrate alone is a sufficient security metric, arguing that the cost to attack the network, adjusted for energy and hardware efficiency, provides a clearer picture. Advances in quantum computing also loom as a potential future threat, though experts note that such technology is unlikely to impact Bitcoin’s security for at least another decade.
The hashrate boom aligns with broader trends in the crypto space. Institutional adoption continues to grow, with companies like Metaplanet in Japan purchasing $26.3 million in Bitcoin this month, and U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis advocating for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to tackle national debt. Meanwhile, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao’s recent prediction that AI systems will favor crypto over fiat currencies highlights the increasing convergence of blockchain and artificial intelligence—potentially driving further demand for Bitcoin’s computational infrastructure.
Despite the celebratory mood, challenges persist. The energy consumption of Bitcoin mining remains a point of contention, with the network consuming an estimated 150 TWh annually based on current hashrate levels, equivalent to the energy use of a small country. While some miners are pivoting to sustainable energy—Hut 8 Mining Corp reported using 40% renewable energy in 2024—environmental concerns could invite stricter regulations, particularly in regions like the EU, which has discussed crypto-mining restrictions.
The Bitcoin network’s latest hashrate record is a testament to its enduring growth and adaptability. As miners, investors, and policymakers continue to rally behind the world’s leading cryptocurrency, this milestone may well be a stepping stone to the zettahash era, with Bitcoin poised to redefine global finance in the years ahead.