In March 2024, the mining business noticed sturdy progress, fueled by cryptocurrency costs hovering to file ranges, which in flip boosted mining profitability, in accordance with a report by JPMorgan.
The evaluation comes at a vital time because the business anticipates the Bitcoin halving occasion scheduled for April 16, 2024, which is predicted to influence miners’ rewards and total profitability.
Bitcoin’s value surged to a median of practically $67,600 in March, marking the best stage on file, and concluded the month with a seven-day rolling common value round $69,900. This value improve represents a 25% soar from the earlier month, with annualized volatility leaping to 65% in March from 42% in February.
The community’s common every day hashrate, a measure of the computational energy used for mining and transaction processing, reached a brand new peak of 600 EH/s (exahash per second) in March. The determine displays a 4% improve from February and an 80% year-over-year progress. This improve in hashrate signifies not solely a rising competitors amongst miners but additionally the business’s resilience and optimism, the report notes.
Regardless of the optimistic traits, the upcoming Bitcoin halving occasion, which can scale back the block reward from 6.25 to three.125 bitcoins, casts uncertainty over future mining profitability. JPMorgan’s report means that the halving might result in a decline in profitability in April until offset by a robust rally in Bitcoin’s value or a dramatic lower within the community hashrate.
The common every day block reward income per exahash for miners was estimated at $100,400 in March, the best since August 2022, representing a 33% sequential improve. This spike in profitability was attributed to the Bitcoin value appreciation outpacing the expansion in community hashrate.
The report additionally touched on the efficiency of U.S.-listed Bitcoin mining firms, noting that the combination market cap of 14 tracked miners elevated by 3% month-over-month to $20 billion. This determine represents 42% of the four-year income alternative, in accordance with JPMorgan’s calculations.
Among the many listed firms, Cipher Mining Inc (NASDAQ:) emerged as the perfect performer with a 74% improve, whereas Bitfarms Ltd (NASDAQ:) fell by 22%, marking it because the month’s least favorable inventory.