--- title: Bitcoin Miners Shift Focus to AI as Hashrate Declines and Costs Rise canonical: https://mining-provider.com/bitcoin-miners-shift-focus-to-ai-as-hashrate-declines-and-costs-rise/ author: Mining Provider Editorial Staff published: 2026-04-05 updated: 2026-04-05 language: en category: News description: Bitcoin miners are exiting the network due to rising production costs and declining prices, with many shifting focus to AI; meanwhile, major players like Marathon Digital expand their mining capacity. The industry faces financial pressures as miners liquidate holdings to maintain liquidity amidst increasing operational expenses. source: Provimedia GmbH --- # Bitcoin Miners Shift Focus to AI as Hashrate Declines and Costs Rise > **Autor:** Mining Provider Editorial Staff | **Veröffentlicht:** 2026-04-05 **Zusammenfassung:** Bitcoin miners are exiting the network due to rising production costs and declining prices, with many shifting focus to AI; meanwhile, major players like Marathon Digital expand their mining capacity. The industry faces financial pressures as miners liquidate holdings to maintain liquidity amidst increasing operational expenses. --- ## Bitcoin Miners Exit the Network For the first time in six years, Bitcoin's hashrate has decreased in the first quarter. This decline is attributed not to technical issues but to economic factors, as the production costs for mining a Bitcoin are around $90,000, while the spot price hovers around $67,000, leading most miners to operate at negative margins. The major publicly traded miners are shifting their focus from Bitcoin mining to artificial intelligence and high-performance computing centers, with over $70 billion in AI contracts already announced in the sector. > "CoreWeave and Core Scientific alone secured a deal worth $10.2 billion, while TeraWulf locked in $12.8 billion in HPC revenue, and Hut 8 signed a 15-year lease worth $7 billion." By the end of 2026, publicly traded miners could derive up to 70% of their revenues from AI, compared to about 30% today. MARA Holdings has already reduced its workforce by approximately 15% as part of its pivot towards AI and energy infrastructure. **Key Takeaway:** The shift in focus from Bitcoin mining to AI and high-performance computing is a significant trend among major miners, driven by economic pressures. ## Bitcoin Difficulty Increases Amid Falling Hashrate The Bitcoin difficulty has risen by 3.87% at block height 943488, marking the third increase this year. This adjustment comes after a previous decrease of 7.76%. The current difficulty level is now 138.97 trillion, making it significantly harder to find new blocks. Miners are facing a hash price of $30.67 per petahash per second (PH/s) and fees of 0.56%, prompting many to consider shifting towards AI rather than BTC mining. As of now, the network is expected to undergo another difficulty adjustment on April 19, 2026, with predictions indicating a potential decrease of 14.27% due to slower block generation times. **Key Takeaway:** The increase in Bitcoin difficulty amidst a declining hashrate highlights the challenges miners face, with many considering alternative revenue streams. ## Marathon Digital Holdings: A Focus on Bitcoin Mining Marathon Digital Holdings is one of the leading Bitcoin miners in the U.S., focusing solely on Bitcoin mining. The company has significantly increased its hashrate and is now also hoarding Bitcoin as a treasury asset. This strategy positions Marathon as a pure play on Bitcoin prices and network difficulty, making it highly dependent on the crypto market. Marathon's strategy revolves around expansion, with plans to double or triple its hashrate by acquiring thousands of new ASIC miners. The company is also exploring locations with renewable energy to reduce costs and meet ESG requirements. **Key Takeaway:** Marathon Digital Holdings is aggressively expanding its mining capacity while focusing on sustainability, making it a notable player in the Bitcoin mining sector. ## Bitcoin Miners Liquidate Holdings Amid Rising Costs Recent reports indicate that major Bitcoin miners, including Riot Platforms and MARA Holdings, have accelerated the sale of their Bitcoin holdings to cover rising operational costs. Riot sold 3,778 Bitcoin at an average price of $76,626, generating $289.5 million, while MARA Holdings liquidated 15,501 Bitcoin to manage debts and operational expenses. This trend reflects the tightening margins across the mining sector, driven by increasing energy prices and declining hash efficiency. The overall mining landscape is under stress, with many miners forced to convert reserves into liquidity. **Key Takeaway:** The liquidation of Bitcoin holdings by major miners underscores the financial pressures within the industry, prompting a strategic shift towards maintaining liquidity. ## AFIN: Green Bitcoin Mining Initiative Asian Fintech (AFIN) is addressing environmental concerns associated with Bitcoin mining by utilizing renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydro power. The project aims to create a positive climate index within the Bitcoin network and reduce the industry's carbon footprint. AFIN employs a dual-token model, utilizing an ERC-20 token for transaction security and a stablecoin on the Stellar protocol to mitigate volatility and facilitate cost-effective transfers. **Key Takeaway:** AFIN's initiative represents a significant step towards sustainable Bitcoin mining, combining technological security with ecological responsibility. Sources: - [Bitcoin: Miner verlassen das Netzwerk](https://www.boerse-express.com/news/articles/bitcoin-miner-verlassen-das-netzwerk-888146) - [Marathon Digital Holdings Aktie: Warum Bitcoin-Miner jetzt glänzen](https://www.ad-hoc-news.de/boerse/ueberblick/marathon-digital-holdings-aktie-warum-bitcoin-miner-jetzt-glaenzen/69071663) - [Die Bitcoin-Schwierigkeit steigt um 3,87 %, während die Hashrate sinkt und die nächste Anpassung bevorsteht](https://news.bitcoin.com/de/die-bitcoin-schwierigkeit-steigt-um-3-87-wahrend-die-hashrate-sinkt-und-die-nachste-anpassung-bevorsteht/) - [AFIN: Grünes Bitcoin-Mining](https://www.ad-hoc-news.de/boerse/ueberblick/afin-gruenes-bitcoin-mining/69070401) - [Bitcoin Nachrichten: Miner stoßen BTC ab, während Riot und MARA ihre Bestände verkaufen](https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/de/2026/04/04/bitcoin-nachrichten-miner-stossen-btc-ab-waehrend-riot-und-mara-ihre-bestaende-verkaufen/) --- *Dieser Artikel wurde ursprünglich veröffentlicht auf [mining-provider.com](https://mining-provider.com/bitcoin-miners-shift-focus-to-ai-as-hashrate-declines-and-costs-rise/)* *© 2026 Provimedia GmbH*