Bitcoin Miner Growth Hits New Highs

Key Takeaways

• Riot and CleanSpark significantly increased BTC output in August 2025, despite tougher mining conditions.

• Riot mined 477 BTC, while CleanSpark mined 657 BTC, reflecting strong year-over-year growth.

• Both companies more than doubled their hash rates, reaching 31.4 EH/s and 43.3 EH/s respectively.

• Bitcoin mining difficulty rose 44.9% in the past year, pushing miners to optimize operations.

• Diversification into AI and high-performance computing is becoming a key strategy for future-focused Bitcoin miners.

Riot Platforms Sees 48% BTC Output Increase In August

August Production & Revenue

Riot Platforms produced 477 BTC in August 2025, up from 322 BTC the same month last year, marking a 48% year-over-year increase in output.

Riot Platforms’ Bitcoin Mining Yield

Source: Riot Platforms

This output boost reflects Riot’s continued investment in mining capacity and data center expansion, allowing it to scale despite tougher market conditions.

Hash Rate Expansion

Riot’s average operational hash rate jumped to 31.4 EH/s in August, up from 14.5 EH/s in August 2024

This 116.6% increase indicates substantial hardware and infrastructure upgrades over the past year.

CleanSpark Increases BTC Mining By 37.5%

BTC Production & Sales

CleanSpark mined 657 BTC in August, a 37.5% increase from the 478 BTC mined in August 2024.

Riot Platforms’ Bitcoin Mining Yield

Source: CleanSpark

CleanSpark continues to follow through on its April 2025 strategy of selling BTC to fund operations, aiming to become financially self-sufficient.

Doubling Hash Rate

CleanSpark’s operational hash rate rose to 43.3 EH/s, compared to 21.3 EH/s a year prior. That’s a 103.3% increase, making it one of the fastest-growing miners in terms of hash power.

Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Hits New Highs In 2025

Despite this output growth, Bitcoin mining has become considerably more difficult in 2025.

According to CoinWarz:

• Mining difficulty as of August 2025: 129.7 trillion

• August 2024 difficulty: 89.5 trillion

• YoY increase: 44.9%

3-year Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Chart

Source: CoinWarz

What Is Bitcoin Mining Difficulty?

Bitcoin mining difficulty refers to how challenging it is for a Bitcoin miner to solve cryptographic puzzles to validate transactions and add blocks to the blockchain.

The higher the difficulty, the more computational power is required, often pushing miners to:

• Upgrade mining rigs

• Expand or modernize data centers

• Reassess operational strategies

Industry Shifts: Miners Diversify Revenue Streams

With rising costs and difficulty, some mining companies are diversifying beyond BTC production:

• Hut 8 is developing four data centers in the U.S. for AI and high-performance computing workloads.

• Hive Digital Technologies and Iren (Australia) are investing in similar non-mining initiatives.

• In February 2025, Riot appointed an adviser to help pivot mining assets toward AI applications, a strategic hedge against Bitcoin market volatility.

FAQ

What is a Bitcoin miner’s hash rate?

A hash rate measures the computational power a Bitcoin miner uses to solve blockchain puzzles. A higher hash rate generally means a better chance of earning BTC.

Why is Bitcoin mining more difficult now?

Mining difficulty adjusts based on the number of active miners and available hash power. As more miners join the network or upgrade hardware, the protocol increases the difficulty to maintain consistent block times.

Are Bitcoin miners still profitable in 2025?

Yes—leading miners like Riot and CleanSpark continue to generate significant revenue. However, profitability depends heavily on electricity costs, mining difficulty, and BTC market prices.

Why are some miners moving into AI and data centers?

With volatility in BTC prices and rising difficulty, miners are exploring alternative revenue streams, including AI computing, to diversify and stabilize their businesses.