Bitcoin: The hashrate drops below 1 zettahash, the difficulty follows a decline

Bitcoin slows down slightly, but the network does not break. On May 1, 2026, its mining difficulty fell by 2.3%, while the hashrate fell below the symbolic threshold of 1 zettahash per second.

Bitcoin adjusts its difficulty after hashrate drop

The new drop in difficulty shows one thing above all: the Bitcoin network is adapting. This is not a bug, nor a sudden shutdown. This is the mechanism provided by the protocol when computing power decreases.

This correction comes after another drop of 2.43% on April 17. The difficulty is now at 132.47 trillion after the adjustment of block 947,520. This is also the sixth difficulty reduction observed in 2026. The signal is therefore clear. Miners have slowed down some of their machines, or shifted their power elsewhere. The network lowers the difficulty to gradually bring the blocks back to the expected pace.

The passage below 1 zettahash per second attracts attention because the figure is impressive. A zettahash represents 1,000 exahash per second. It is a mental boundary more than a technical wall. On May 3, 2026, the computing power of the network oscillated between 899 and 958 EH/s over 24 hours. Binance Square also mentions a seven-day average of around 965.99 EH/s.

In other words, Bitcoin remains in a very high zone. The network is not going back. He breathes after a phase of tension. The real question is elsewhere: how many miners can remain profitable if revenues remain tight?

Miners gain a little air, but not yet comfort

The most interesting point comes from hashprice. It rose to $37.52 per PH/s, from $34.39 previously. This is a concrete improvement for still active Bitcoin miners. But this improvement does not solve everything. A drop in difficulty makes mining easier for those who stay connected. However, if the hashrate continues to slide, this may also reflect persistent economic pressure on less efficient operators.

ForkLog notes that the hashprice exceeded $37 per PH/s per day for the first time since late January. It's a small relief, not a return to euphoria. The machines are running, but the margins are negotiated to the nearest cent. The average time between blocks reached approximately 10 minutes and 28 seconds on May 3. This is above the usual 10 minute target. This explains why a further downward adjustment remains possible around May 17.

But you have to be careful. Over 1,800 blocks still need to be mined before the next adjustment. A lot can change between now and then. A rise in the price of Bitcoin or hashprice could bring machines back online.

On the pool side, Foundry USA remains dominant with 31.51% of the 987 blocks mined over seven days. Antpool and ViaBTC follow. Together, these three players represent 58.35% of the power observed over the period. This concentration remains a point to monitor, even if 115 entities still participate in the network. This drop in difficulty should not be read as a defeat for Bitcoin. Rather, it shows the brutality of the mining economy. When costs rise or revenues fall, the less profitable machines exit the game.