Difficulty
Mining difficulty — recalculated by the network every 2016 blocks to keep the block interval around 10 minutes.
What the metric shows
Difficulty is Bitcoin's self-regulating mechanism. If miners add power and blocks come faster than 10 minutes, the difficulty rises; if they disconnect, it falls. This is the only protocol parameter that changes automatically and without consensus coordination.
Unlike hashrate, difficulty is measured exactly, not estimated — therefore it moves in steps, not continuously. Large negative retargets (−15% and deeper) have happened only a few times in history and always meant a mass exodus of miners.
How it is calculated
How to read the signal
| Zone | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Retarget > +5% | Miners are connecting en masse | |
| ±5% | Normal adaptation | |
| Retarget < −10% | Mass exit of computing power from the network |
Frequently Asked Questions
How does it differ from hashrate?
Difficulty is an exact number from the protocol. Hashrate is an estimate derived from difficulty and block speed.
Why is the chart stepped?
Because the recalculation happens once every ~2 weeks, not daily.
Can it fall?
Yes, and it has fallen — most notably during China's exit from mining in 2021.