Mining Companies' Hashrate Decreases by 21.2%, AI Leasing Expands

The realized hashrate of publicly listed Bitcoin (BTC) mining companies decreased in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the previous quarter. Some companies have turned off mining equipment or reallocated power to AI and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure, with instances where leasing and colocation revenues have surpassed mining revenues.

According to Bitcoin.com News, an analysis tracking public mining companies calculated the realized hashrate for the second quarter of 2026 at 319.0 EH/s, lower than 344.4 EH/s in the first quarter and 368.3 EH/s in the fourth quarter of 2025. Excluding Bitdeer, the decline was reported at 21.2%.

This trend aligns with reports suggesting that the decrease in hashrate among listed mining companies signals a reevaluation between the Bitcoin mining sector and the AI data center market. The reduction in hashrate can be interpreted not only as a weakening of mining competitiveness but also as a repurposing of existing power infrastructure.

The key factors are the power, land, cooling, and transmission networks held by mining companies. Bitcoin mining operations often secure large amounts of power. AI data centers also require stable power, cooling, and land, allowing them to connect the same assets to long-term leasing and colocation revenues.