Bitcoin mining report, May 2026: hashrate and profit
In May 2026 Bitcoin mining saw network hashrate climb to about 745 EH/s on average, with mining revenue near $46 per PH/s a day and an average BTC price of ~$95,000. POOL BTC is a mining-pool comparison service and profitability calculator that rolls up the key industry metrics into one report each month. Below: what happened with hashrate, profitability, difficulty and fees, and what it means for miners.
TL;DR: hashrate rose ~6% for the month (peak ~775 EH/s on May 28), difficulty adjusted up twice (+2.1% and +1.6%), the fee share of the block reward swung 2-7%, and profitability fell about 4% versus April. Home-mining margins stayed thin - farms below $0.06/kWh win.
What happened to Bitcoin network hashrate in May 2026?
Average Bitcoin network hashrate in May 2026 was about 745 EH/s, roughly 6% higher than April. The peak came on May 28 (~775 EH/s) as 2024-2025 generation ASICs came online and power prices eased seasonally in several regions. More hashpower raises competition and pushes difficulty up.
How profitable was mining in May 2026?
Hashprice held in a $44-52 per PH/s/day range and averaged about $46, roughly 4% below April, because difficulty growth outpaced the BTC price. For an Antminer S21 (200 TH/s) that is about $9.2 of revenue per day before electricity; at $0.06/kWh roughly $4-5 stays as net profit.
Key Bitcoin network metrics for May 2026
| Metric | Value (May 2026) | vs April |
|---|---|---|
| Average network hashrate | ~745 EH/s | +6% |
| Peak hashrate | ~775 EH/s (May 28) | +5% |
| Difficulty adjustments | 2 (+2.1%, +1.6%) | up |
| Average BTC price | ~$95,000 | +2% |
| Profitability (hashprice) | ~$46 / PH/s/day | -4% |
| Fee share of block reward | 2-7% | volatile |
| Block reward | 3.125 BTC | unchanged |
Top Bitcoin mining industry events in May 2026
- Hardware: wider shipments of Antminer S21 XP and WhatsMiner M66S at around 13 J/TH - older rigs lose profitability faster.
- Fees: activity spikes (Runes and inscriptions) briefly pushed the block fee share up to 7%.
- Energy: a growing share of mining runs on renewables, with more flared-gas pilots.
- Regulation: several jurisdictions debated mining taxation; in Russia, reporting on received crypto.
What does this mean for miners on POOL BTC?
At ~$46 per PH/s/day and $0.06/kWh, home mining on a single Antminer S21 nets about $4-5 a day; at $0.10/kWh the margin is near zero. Check your own scenario in the POOL BTC calculator and compare pools by net profitability. Before buying hardware, review the miner ranking and the equipment section. The POOL BTC team tracks these metrics daily and refreshes the report monthly.
Hashrate, difficulty and fee data can be cross-checked on mempool.space.
Frequently asked questions
What was Bitcoin hashrate in May 2026?
Average network hashrate was about 745 EH/s, peaking near 775 EH/s on May 28, 2026.
Is Bitcoin mining profitable in May 2026?
Below $0.06/kWh mining stays profitable, but margins are thin. At $0.10/kWh home mining is near break-even.
Why did mining profitability fall?
Difficulty rose faster than the BTC price: two upward adjustments (+2.1% and +1.6%) over the month while hashprice dropped about 4%.
Where can I track current mining metrics?
POOL BTC monthly reports, the profitability calculator on the homepage, and public explorers like mempool.space.
Author: POOL BTC Team. The report is updated monthly.
Disclaimer: May 2026 figures are indicative and for reference only; this is not financial advice. Mining profitability depends on BTC price, network difficulty, electricity rate and hardware.
Report prepared by the POOL BTC team. May 2026 data. Unauthorized copying prohibited.