Hashrate: Everything to Know

By  Beluga Research Team July 11, 2023

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Summary

  • A blockchain network's hashrate measures its computational power
  • Hashrate promotes security and reliability in blockchain networks so transactions are secured from fraud and manipulation
  • Hashrate can be measured in "terahashes" - one trillion hashes per second
  • Hash mining refers to using computational power to generate new blocks and add them to blockchain networks

Overview

A hashrate measures the computational power in some blockchain networks that utilize mining. For cryptocurrency miners, it is a critical aspect of determining the mining difficulty of a blockchain network. It also identifies the cryptographic calculations performed on blockchains per second. The hashrate facilitates the processing of transactions, confirming each transaction on the chain.

A Brief History

The concept of proof-of-work (PoW) and hashrate has its roots in the early days of cryptocurrencies. Specifically with the creation of Bitcoin by an anonymous person or group known as Satoshi Nakamoto.

In January 2009, the Bitcoin network was launched, and mining the cryptocurrency began. Initially, the network had very few participants, and mining could be done on just a regular computer. As Bitcoin gained popularity, more miners joined the network. The computational power requirements increased. Over time, miners realized that specialized hardware could significantly increase mining efficiency.

In 2013 miners gradually shifted from CPUs to graphic processing units (GPUs). It wasn't enough, as more people jumped to application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for more speed and power. The concept of PoW and hashrate gained widespread recognition and adoption beyond Bitcoin. Other cryptocurrencies adopted similar consensus algorithms to secure their networks.

What is Hashrate?

Hashrate is the measure of a blockchain networks' information processing speeds. The rate also shows the cryptographic operations per second on blockchains. This calculation rate makes it possible to process transactions. Each calculation proves or validates a unique transaction on the chain.

A blockchain network with a higher hashrate is often safer. If the hashrate is higher, manipulating or performing malicious activities will take much more computing power and be far more difficult.

Hashrate promotes security and reliability in blockchain networks. It ensures transactions carried out in the network are secured from fraud or manipulation. A higher hashrate boosts miners' confidence in blockchain network security by ensuring calculations are processed quickly.

The hashrate increases competition for block rewards among crypto miners in blockchain networks. A high hashrate translates to greater mining difficulty, requiring more work to validate a transaction. That means miners' blockchain success depends on their computer's processing power. They need to invest more in computing power which earns them more block rewards. This helps to keep the blockchain rewards mechanism in check at all times.

Getting Started

Miners must tackle complex arithmetic problems using specialized equipment like (ASICs). They need colossal computer processing speeds to solve challenging mathematical problems. When a miner solves a challenge successfully, they are rewarded with blocks within the network. Mining for hash rate is becoming increasingly popular as more individuals seek to invest in digital currencies.

Mining difficulty depends on block availability and the time to find and add blocks on blockchain networks. Crypto mining success depends on a miner's computing power, which is subject to the blockchain network and hashrate. Powerful computers generate more hashrate and will most likely earn more block rewards. Miners might need to invest in powerful processors and ASIC computers to gain a competitive edge.

Unique Aspects

  • Specific metrics. Measuring hashrate is critical for most miners. It forms the basis for their operations. It allows them to plan and execute their mining operations effectively. Millions of computers make billions of guesses on blockchain networks each second. As a result, the hashrate can accurately be measured in terahashes-one trillion hashes per second. There are also other units measuring hashrate on smaller blockchain networks. Such as gigahashes per second (1 billion/s), megahashes (1 million/s) or kilohashes per second (1 kilohashes/s).
  • Hashing Algorithms. Hashing algorithms are also known as hash functions. They are cryptographic algorithms that take an input message and produce a fixed-size output. The output is represented in characters or bits. These algorithms are designed to compute the hash value, a unique input data representation. The output data is irreversible - it cannot be converted to its original form.
  • Hash mining. Hash mining, in the crypto context, refers to using computational power to generate new blocks and add them to the blockchain networks. Cryptocurrency miners solve complex mathematical puzzles based on the proof-of-work mechanism.

Advantages

  • Increased security . A high hashrate makes it difficult for attackers to launch malicious attacks on a cryptocurrency network. Also, it prevents the manipulation of blockchain networks. Thus, a high hashrate promotes a network's reliability and integrity.
  • Increased mining rewards . Miners with a higher hashrate are more likely to solve complex mathematical puzzles and add more blocks to a cryptocurrency network. This translates to continuous rewards and a share of transaction fees.
  • Improved mining efficiency and profitability . Miners employ more powerful energy-efficient equipment to improve mining efficiency. This cuts costs and improves overall profitability.
  • Network stability . A higher hashrate enhances the stability of a cryptocurrency network. It reduces the likelihood of temporary fluctuations in mining power, such as sudden drops or increases. This could potentially disrupt the block generation process or lead to longer block confirmation times. A stable hashrate ensures a predictable and consistent operation of a cryptocurrency network.

Disadvantages

  • Rising costs of entry . As miners compete for block rewards, much has been invested in computing power. Miners are employing expensive mining equipment. This has made mining costs skyrocket. For newbies, acquiring such equipment can be challenging.
  • Centralization risks . As hashrate increases, it often leads to the concentration of mining power in a few large mining operations or mining pools. This concentration can raise concerns about centralization. A small number of entities may gain significant control over the network.
  • Increased energy consumption . A higher hashrate requires more computational power. This requires vast energy consumption. Over time, this could raise environmental concerns.