By BlockAI — Lead: Bitcoin’s hash rate surged to new highs on September 12, 2025, as miners pushed computing power to the network and miner reserves climbed. The Bitcoin hash rate hit a record high, topping out at 1.12 billion TH/s, while mining difficulty reached an all-time 136.04T. This spike reflects stronger miner activity, a miner supply spike in BTC holdings, and bullish market signals tied to ETF inflows and halving-driven expectations. Who’s involved are large efficient miners and smaller operators adjusting capacity; how it happened was through expanded hashing power and reduced miner selling. The next difficulty update, scheduled for September 18, 2025, is expected to lift mining difficulty further.
Record high hash rate
Bitcoin hash rate growth accelerated in the days leading to September 12, 2025, when the network recorded the hash rate 1.12 billion TH/s milestone. That record high hash rate shows firms adding rigs and bringing previously idle equipment online. Analysts point to efficient operators scaling up and to miners choosing to hold newly mined BTC instead of selling, causing a visible miner supply spike. With miner reserves at a 50-day high, the Bitcoin hash rate increase matches the market’s broader bullish tone.
Miner supply spike
The miner supply spike is both cause and effect of the rising Bitcoin hash rate. When miners accumulate rather than sell, sell-side pressure eases and price can respond—already trading near $115,000 in recent moves. Larger miners often keep rewards on balance sheets, while smaller or inefficient miners may scale back rigs when the Bitcoin hash rate makes mining tougher. This dynamic contributes to short-term volatility but underpins why the hash rate and reserves moved together in early September 2025.
Bitcoin mining difficulty
Mining difficulty moved in step with the Bitcoin hash rate, hitting mining difficulty 136.04T as of the latest adjustment. Higher hash rate forces the protocol’s difficulty algorithm to raise mining difficulty to preserve a 10-minute block cadence. The mining difficulty 136.04T reading is a technical reflection of increased computational power across the network. As miners compete with higher hash power, sustained growth in Bitcoin hash rate typically leads to predictable upward difficulty adjustments.
Bitcoin halving effects
Bitcoin halving effects are still echoing through miner economics and the Bitcoin hash rate. Post-halving cycles often show miners accumulating BTC and expanding capacity, which can push the hash rate to record levels. The interplay between halving-induced reward changes and growing investor demand helps explain why the Bitcoin hash rate rose to a record high and why miner supply spike patterns have shifted. Market expectations around a Fed rate cut have also fed bullish sentiment here.
September 18 adjustment
Attention now turns to the September 18 adjustment, where the expected September 18, 2025 difficulty adjustment could lift difficulty by roughly 6.38% to about 144.72T. If the Bitcoin hash rate remains high, that projection could rise further. Miners and exchanges will watch block times and orphan rates closely as this adjustment settles. A sustained hash rate near the hash rate 1.12 billion TH/s level would reinforce the case for higher future mining difficulty and tighter mining margins for less efficient operations.
Supporting details and market context
Experts including Varun Satyam of Hyperbola Network note that larger miners’ ability to scale and retain BTC is a major factor in the current Bitcoin hash rate surge. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs and institutional flows have tightened the market, which pairs with miners’ accumulating behavior to push both the Bitcoin hash rate and price higher. Historically, after halving events, similar patterns of record high hash rate and rising mining difficulty have preceded bullish price runs, though timing and magnitude vary.
What miners and traders should watch
Watch on-chain miner balances, block times, and the upcoming September 18 adjustment for signs of continued stress or stability in mining. The Bitcoin hash rate trend, combined with the mining difficulty 136.04T baseline, will determine short-term profitability for smaller rigs. Traders should note miner supply spike signals as a sentiment indicator: rising miner holdings often correlate with bullish conviction.
Additional details and outlook
If the Bitcoin hash rate keeps climbing, expect more difficulty hikes and potential consolidation among miners. Smaller operators might power down, while efficient operations expand. For long-term holders and traders, elevated Bitcoin hash rate and rising mining difficulty are typically seen as a sign of network security and long-term commitment from miners, but they can also compress short-term miner margins.
Frequently asked questions about Bitcoin hash rate (FAQ)
What does a higher Bitcoin hash rate mean?
A higher Bitcoin hash rate means more computational power secures the network. It typically raises mining difficulty and signals strong miner participation.
How high did the hash rate reach on September 12, 2025?
The hash rate reached a record high of 1.12 billion TH/s on September 12, 2025.
What is mining difficulty 136.04T?
Mining difficulty 136.04T is the network difficulty level recorded alongside the hash rate peak; it reflects how hard it is to find blocks at that time.
Will the September 18, 2025 difficulty adjustment raise difficulty?
Yes. Current projections expect the September 18, 2025 difficulty adjustment to increase difficulty about 6.38% to roughly 144.72T if hash rate remains steady.
How do Bitcoin halving effects influence the hash rate?
Bitcoin halving effects reduce miner rewards, which can push operators to scale efficiently and hold BTC, often contributing to higher Bitcoin hash rate and shifts in miner supply behavior.
By BlockAI — reporting and analysis for a community that watches miner behavior, on-chain flows, and market signals to stay ahead of changes in Bitcoin’s security and economics.
