Bitcoin (BTC) Miners’ Rewards Shrinking Fast, Is Another Sell-Off Coming?

As the Bitcoin price struggles around $19,200 Bitcoin miners have been facing strong revenue challenges amid rising energy costs.
By Bhushan Akolkar
Bitcoin Miner Bitfarms Seeks to Acquire Stronghold In A $164 Million Deal

The world’s largest cryptocurrency Bitcoin (BTC) has been trading in a pretty tight range recently close to $19,200 level. On one hand, the Bitcoin hashrate continues to grow fast, which means that Bitcoin miners have to put more computational power to add new blocks to the Bitcoin blockchain.

As energy costs rise at the same speed, Bitcoin miners have been getting paper-thin margins on their mining revenue. This could probably lead to another major sell-off by Bitcoin miners as we saw earlier this year. As on-chain data provider Glassnode explains:

The #Bitcoin Hash Price has reached an all-time-low of $66,500 per Exahash. This means that $BTC miners are earning the smallest reward relative to hashpower applied in history, and likely puts the industry under extreme income stress.

Earlier this month, Arcane Research published a report stating that the miner revenues have dropped by 81% from their peak in October 2021. Also, a large majority of miners saw their gross margins drop to 30%-40% from 80%-90% area. The Arcane Research report notes:

“Unfortunately, most miners today are, to a varying degree, exposed to rising power prices. The mining industry has already become almost eradicated in Europe due to the energy crisis, but American miners also feel the heat.

Power prices in the US, where a significant portion of the industrial-scale miners are located, have increased considerably and will likely keep rising as natural gas prices go up.”

Bitcoin Miners vs Long Term Holders

While the Bitcoin hash price is making new lows, Bitcoin long-term holders on the other hand have been showing great conviction. Citing data from Glassnode, crypto analyst Will Clemente explains:

“A new all-time high 78% of Bitcoin supply has not moved in at least 6 months. Pretty remarkable in the face of the worst macroeconomic backdrop in recent history, geopolitical uncertainty, and WW3 fears. There is a group of seriously convicted HODLers out there”.

Courtesy: Glassnode

Bloomberg analyst Mike McGlone recently said that Bitcoin is entering an “unstoppable maturation stage“. He believes that the BTC price will continue to rise despite the Fed rate hikes ahead this year.

It will be interesting to see that if the Bitcoin miners trigger a selling going ahead, will the long-term holders continue to show the same level of conviction? As of press time, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $19,340 with a market cap of $372 billion.

Advertisement
Bhushan Akolkar
Bhushan is a seasoned crypto writer with over eight years of experience spanning more than 10,000 contributions across multiple platforms like CoinGape, CoinSpeaker, Bitcoinist, Crypto News Flash, and others. Being a Fintech enthusiast, he loves reporting across Crypto, Blockchain, DeFi, Global Macros with a keen understanding in financial markets. 

He is committed to continuous learning and stays motivated by sharing the knowledge he acquires. In his free time, Bhushan enjoys reading thriller fiction novels and occasionally explores his culinary skills. Bhushan has a bachelors degree in electronics engineering, however, his interest in finance and economics drives him to crypto and blockchain.
Why trust CoinGape: CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights to our readers. Our journalists and analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.
Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
Ad Disclosure: This site may feature sponsored content and affiliate links. All advertisements are clearly labeled, and ad partners have no influence over our editorial content.