Bitcoin is trading around $108,667 on October 20, 2025, as the mining landscape undergoes one of its most significant shifts in recent memory. The Bitcoin network just recorded a notable mining difficulty adjustment, while simultaneously, the broader crypto mining community is witnessing the end of GPU mining for one of its most popular alternative coins.
TL;DR
- Bitcoin mining difficulty dropped 2.7% to 146.7 trillion on October 18, down from its all-time high of 150.8 trillion
- Flux (FLUX) officially ended GPU mining on October 20, transitioning to Proof-of-Useful-Work v2 (PoUW v2)
- 2Miners shut down all Flux mining pools at 19:00 UTC on October 20 following the migration
- Bitcoin network hashrate reached a record high of over 1.2 zettahashes per second despite the difficulty dip
- BitMine Immersion reports ETH holdings of 3.24 million tokens and total assets of $13.4 billion
Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Adjusts Downward
The Bitcoin network experienced a notable difficulty adjustment on October 18, 2025, when mining difficulty dropped approximately 2.7% to 146.7 trillion, retreating from its previous all-time high of 150.8 trillion. According to data from CoinWarz, the adjustment reflects a temporary decrease in hashrate participation as some miners scaled back operations amid fluctuating profitability metrics.
However, the difficulty dip belies a broader trend of increasing network security. The Bitcoin network hashrate reached a staggering record of over 1.2 zettahashes per second, underscoring the massive computational power securing the blockchain. The next difficulty adjustment, expected around October 29, is projected to push difficulty back up to approximately 157 trillion, signaling renewed miner confidence.
For context, Bitcoin mining difficulty recorded new all-time highs throughout 2025, with particularly sharp increases in September during a strong Bitcoin price uptrend. The year-end figure of 148.2 trillion represents a 35% increase from the 109.8 trillion recorded on January 1, 2025, highlighting a year of massive expansion in network security and mining competition.
Flux Network Marks End of GPU Mining Era
In what miners are calling the end of an era, the Flux blockchain (formerly ZelCash) officially ended traditional GPU mining on October 20, 2025. Mining pools operated by 2Miners were shut down at 19:00 UTC to facilitate final payouts and complete the transition to the new Proof-of-Useful-Work v2 (PoUW v2) consensus model.
The migration represents a fundamental shift in how the Flux network operates. Instead of traditional Proof-of-Work mining that relies on GPU computational power, Flux is moving to a Proof of Nodes (PON) system where node operators earn rewards by providing useful computational resources to the network. The new PoUW v2 model promises four times faster block times, instant deployments, and predictable rewards every 30 seconds for node operators.
The announcement of Flux ending GPU mining had been anticipated for weeks, with the official timeline targeting block height 2,020,000. Mining software developers like RainbowMiner had already issued warnings to users about the upcoming shutdown. The Flux team described the transition as moving away from “inefficient GPU mining” toward a “FluxNode-centric consensus model” that prioritizes useful computation over raw energy expenditure.
Impact on GPU Miners
The end of Flux mining removes yet another profitable GPU mining option from the cryptocurrency landscape. With Ethereum having transitioned to Proof-of-Stake in September 2022, and now Flux abandoning GPU mining, the available options for GPU miners continue to narrow. Many miners are being forced to either pivot to alternative revenue streams or consider selling their hardware.
Some mining operations are exploring a transition toward AI computing and data center services, repurposing their GPU infrastructure for machine learning workloads. This trend has been accelerating throughout 2025 as mining firms seek to diversify revenue sources beyond pure cryptocurrency mining.
BitMine Immersion Reports Massive ETH Holdings
In a significant development for the institutional mining sector, BitMine Immersion (BMNR) announced on October 20 that its Ethereum holdings have reached 3.24 million tokens, with total crypto and cash holdings of $13.4 billion. The Las Vegas-based mining company has been aggressively accumulating ETH, positioning itself as one of the largest corporate holders of the cryptocurrency.
The announcement highlights a growing trend among mining companies to diversify their treasury holdings beyond Bitcoin. With Ethereum staking yields offering attractive returns following the Pectra upgrade earlier in 2025, miners are increasingly looking at ETH as both a treasury asset and a yield-generating vehicle.
Ethereum Staking Ecosystem Continues to Evolve
The Ethereum staking landscape in October 2025 continues to mature following the Pectra upgrade activated on May 7, 2025. Key improvements introduced by the upgrade include EIP-7251, which raised the maximum effective balance per validator from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH, and EIP-7002, which enabled triggerable withdrawals. These changes have significantly improved the operational efficiency for institutional stakers.
Copper, a leading digital asset custodian, became the first to offer institutional clients a Pectra-ready Ethereum staking solution in partnership with P2P.org, further signaling the growing institutional interest in ETH staking infrastructure.
Why This Matters
The convergence of these events on October 20, 2025 paints a vivid picture of the evolving cryptocurrency mining landscape. Bitcoin mining difficulty adjustments are routine, but the broader trend of increasing hashrate and difficulty throughout 2025 demonstrates growing institutional investment in mining infrastructure. The end of Flux GPU mining signals a shift toward more energy-efficient consensus mechanisms, while the growth of Ethereum staking following the Pectra upgrade shows how Proof-of-Stake networks are maturing. For individual miners, the message is clear: adaptability is becoming more important than raw hashing power. Whether pivoting to AI workloads, staking ETH, or operating Flux nodes, the mining community is entering a new phase where efficiency and utility matter more than ever.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve significant risk. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
been mining flux since 2022. the PoUW v2 transition makes my 6 GPU rig basically worthless for this. time to find a new coin or sell the cards
2.7% difficulty drop sounds small but going from 150.8T to 146.7T while hashrate hits 1.2 ZH/s is a weird divergence. some miners are definitely feeling the squeeze
bitmine holding 3.24M ETH and 13.4B in total assets. immersion cooling operations are becoming the new mining mega-corps