Bitcoin Hashrate Rockets to New Heights, Smashing Through 980 EH/s Barrier

Bitcoin’s hashrate just blasted past the 976 exahash per second (EH/s) record it hit on Aug. 8, 2025, according to the latest metrics. As of now, the network’s computational firepower is hovering between a fierce 979 and 986 EH/s. While the upward trend has remained steady, current metrics suggest the hashrate may still have plenty of room to climb from this point forward.

Record Hashrate Puts Spotlight on Bitcoin’s Next ASIC Supermachines

The top cryptocurrency by market capitalization has pushed its network hashrate to a brand-new all-time high. As of press time, the hashrate hovers between 979 and 986 EH/s, rebounding from a recent dip to 939 EH/s on Aug. 21. This climb is unfolding despite thinner earnings, with miner revenue still lagging behind pre-halving levels from 2024 — and transaction fees now trickling in at under 1% of block rewards.

According to the seven-day simple moving average (SMA) stats from hashrateindex.com, Bitcoin’s hashrate hit the 979 EH/s range on Aug. 29, 2025. On mempool.space, the hashrate ramped up as high as 986 EH/s.

Miners could be staring down a few headwinds, particularly if the upcoming difficulty adjustment ticks upward while $BTC’s price stays muted. Historically, September has been a tough month for bitcoin, but October and the broader Q4 stretch have often delivered strong bullish momentum. If history holds true, this year-end boost in $BTC’s price could inject fresh profitability into mining operations. But that payoff, of course, hinges on the past playing out once again.

What’s truly kept bitcoin miners afloat has been the price range, no doubt—but the leap in efficiency from next-gen application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) machines has clearly served as a critical lifeline. Miners might soon catch another break, with even more powerful ASICs on the horizon. One standout is the Bitmain Antminer S23 Hydro 3U, capable of cranking out 1.16 petahash per second (PH/s).

(PICTURED TOP) Bitmain’s Antminer S23 Hydro 3U with 1.16 PH/s of hashpower. (PICTURED BOTTOM) Block’s Proto Rig with 819 TH/s.

Put simply, it would take only 1,000 of these machines to pump out a full exahash of raw computing power. The S23 Hydro 3Us aren’t expected to hit the market until January 2026. Meanwhile, Block’s Proto Rig is scheduled to start shipping in September and brings some serious muscle, delivering 819 terahash per second (TH/s). That means roughly 1,220 Proto units could collectively reach the 1 EH/s mark.

Already on the scene is the Bitmain Antminer S21 Hydro 3U, cranking out 860 terahash per second (TH/s), along with other heavy hitters like Auradine’s Teraflux AH3880 at 600 TH/s and Bitdeer’s Sealminer A2 Pro Hydro pushing 500 TH/s. Microbt’s Whatsminer M63S++ rounds out the lineup with a solid 464 TH/s of SHA256 power. And while these rigs crank out serious hashpower, the energy efficiency—measured in joules per terahash (J/TH)—has seen major strides in recent years. That leap forward comes thanks to cutting-edge chip designs and big improvements in cooling tech.

As machines pump out hefty hashpower and operators keep slashing their J/TH, the overall hashrate has seen a solid boost—and chances are, it’s poised to climb even higher in the months ahead with these new models shipping.