Bitcoin-Mining Reaches New Heights with Over 830 Trillion Hashes per Second
According to a report by heise online, Bitcoin mining has reached an unprecedented milestone, achieving a record-breaking computational power of 833 trillion hashes per second, or 833 exahashes per second. This surge in mining activity is attributed to the consistently high Bitcoin prices, which have surpassed 90,000 euros, making investments in mining hardware highly profitable. Specialized ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) are essential for this process, as they are designed exclusively for calculating SHA256 hashes, unlike general-purpose processors or graphics cards.
The report highlights that the leading manufacturer of Bitcoin mining hardware, Bitmain, offers its top-tier model, the Antminer S21 XP Hydro, which delivers a performance of 473 terahashes per second. This device consumes approximately 5700 watts of electricity and is equipped with water-cooled ASICs produced using 5-nanometer technology by TSMC. The price for this high-performance miner ranges between 10,000 and 14,500 US dollars. With a monthly revenue potential of around 1,500 US dollars, assuming a power cost of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, the hardware investment can be recouped relatively quickly.
Mining operations are predominantly located in regions with low electricity costs, and many miners join pools to increase their chances of successfully mining a block. The global mining network's estimated power consumption is significant, with a theoretical minimum of 10 gigawatts based on the latest ASICs. However, due to the continued use of older mining equipment, the actual power consumption is estimated to exceed 20 gigawatts, resulting in an annual energy usage of over 175 terawatt-hours. A substantial portion of this energy demand is concentrated in the United States.
For more details, visit the original article on heise online: https://www.heise.de/news/Rekord-Ueber-830-Trillionen-Hashes-pro-Sekunde-fuers-Bitcoin-Mining-10269522.html.
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