Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin Mining Power Use Jumps 112% to 33.1 GW Amid Two-Year Low in Network Transactions

Bitcoin’s mining power consumption has surged by 112% to 33.1 gigawatts (GW) in just 17 months, according to a Q2 2025 analysis from GoMining Institutional. This dramatic increase occurred alongside a significant decline in network transaction activity, which hit a two-year low in June 2025. The expansion of mining infrastructure has outpaced efficiency gains from newer, more advanced mining equipment, with energy demand climbing from 15.6 GW in January 2024 to 24.5 GW by January 2025, and reaching 33.1 GW by the end of May 2025 [1].

The rapid deployment of power-intensive mining hardware post-April 2024 halving contributed to a 35% spike in energy consumption between January and May 2025. Fakhul Miah, Managing Director of GoMining Institutional, highlighted that while individual mining devices have become more energy-efficient, the overall expansion of the network has offset these gains, pushing the system toward higher energy dependency [1].

Simultaneously, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty has steadily increased, rising from 109.78 trillion in January 2025 to 116.96 trillion by June. The first half of the year saw 13 difficulty recalibrations, with the largest upward adjustment of 6.81% occurring on April 5. On May 30, the network’s difficulty reached a record high of 126.98 trillion before experiencing a sharp 7.48% drop on June 29—the largest decrease since the 2021 China mining ban [1].

The divergence between rising energy costs and declining transaction activity has placed Bitcoin miners in a precarious financial position. Network utilization has fallen to levels last seen in October 2023, with the average daily transaction count dropping to approximately 256,000 in early June. Transaction fees, which are calculated in satoshis per virtual byte (sat/vB), have fallen below 1% of total block rewards. At current Bitcoin prices, one sat/vB equates to roughly $0.115, further diminishing fee-based revenue [1].

Despite this, some analysts suggest that elevated mining activity could indicate bullish price expectations. The continued investment in energy and hardware by miners implies a belief in Bitcoin’s long-term value, potentially setting a price floor as miners avoid selling below profitable levels. While Bitcoin has seen recent weakness, dipping to $114,540 in early July, the mining data may support a long-term price target of $150,000, as miners adjust to higher production costs [1].

Source: [1] Bitcoin Mining Power Use Jumps 112% to 33 Gigawatts as Network Transactions Hit 2-Year Low: GoMining

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