F2Pool is the largest bitcoin mining pool in the world controlling 20 percent of the collective computational energy, also called hashrate, on the bitcoin network. On the fifth and final episode of Bitcoin Halving 2020: Miner Perspectives, Heller discussed the economic incentives driving cryptocurrency mining and mining pool operations.
This episode is sponsored by ErisX, The Stellar Development Foundation and Grayscale Digital Large Cap Investment Fundhttps://grayscale.co/coindesk
Though miner revenue has decreased sharply over the last two years from around $0.60 per terahash to $0.10, Heller explained bitcoin mining continues to be profitable due to the release of more efficient hardware and the discovery of cheaper sources of electricity. Positive movements in bitcoin price is also a major factor, albeit a frustratingly unpredictable one.
Heller, who operates a slew of his own mining machines, said that without “significant price action” over the next two weeks leading up to bitcoin’s reward reduction, also called the halving, both he and other miners would have no choice but to turn off “older machines.”
For more information about the halving event, download the free CoinDesk Research explainer report which features over 30 different charts and additional commentary from bitcoin mining industry experts.
