Bitcoin Mining is Harder Than Ever: Can Apple Engineers Make Mining Profitable Again?

Bitcoin mining, which is central to the world’s largest and most valuable crypto network, has never been more challenging. Gone are the days when miners could simply power on their PCs or laptops. While “mining miracles” occasionally happen and solo miners strike gold by confirming a block, the odds are extremely low. In 2025, Bitcoin mining is dominated by multi-million-dollar farms deploying the latest ASICs with modern, efficient cooling techniques.

As BTC ▼-2.39% prices rise, so do mining costs. As of August 19, 2025, 977 EH/s of hash rate secures the network, and mining difficulty is at record highs. Hash rate is the total computational power funneled by miners globally for a chance to confirm a block of BTC transactions roughly every 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Bitcoin difficulty adjusts approximately every two weeks to maintain block confirmation times at around 10 minutes.

(Source: Mempool Space)

Hash rate and difficulty move in lockstep. As more miners channel hash rate to secure the network, the network automatically increases difficulty, ensuring only the most efficient and powerful rigs, pools, or mining farms win block rewards.

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Proto to the Rescue: Will They Resolve the Hamster Wheel of Costs?

This correlation between hash rate, difficulty, rising Bitcoin prices, and adoption is forcing innovators back to the drawing board. The latest team is led by Jack Dorsey at Proto, a division of Block, Inc., a public company in the United States. What’s special about Proto is their claim to have engineers who helped build the iPhone, tackling Bitcoin mining’s biggest flaws. They are investing millions to develop specialized rigs to transform the Bitcoin mining industry.

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And they are justified. Over the years, Bitcoin mining has been locking out solo miners who stand no chance as hash rate expands. Rising Bitcoin prices, while welcomed, are why, despite the Bitcoin Halving event in April 2024, the hash rate is at record highs. Due to the Halving, block rewards are now 3.125 BTC, down from 6.25 BTC in the previous epoch and 12.5 BTC in the epoch before that. The Halving squeezed margins for miners, and even though spot prices are high, funneling more capital to best meme coin ICOs, only the most efficient operators remain profitable.

To stay efficient, miners must deploy the latest, most advanced mining rigs. Bitmain’s most efficient miner, the Antminer S23 Hyd 3U, set for release in January 2026, will deliver a hash rate of 1.16 PH/s. Projections based on current Bitcoin rates suggest it will generate daily revenue of $65.19 before costs. The Antminer S21E XP Hyd 3U, released in November 2024, delivers 860 TH/s of hash rate and daily revenue of $48.33.

(Source: Whattomine)

Mining farms planning to upgrade and install the latest rigs often need to replace entire systems and sometimes retrofit cooling or electrical infrastructure. These upgrades can cost millions of dollars.

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Proto Has a Plan: Will Their Design Save Costs?

Designers are returning to first principles to lower costs, and an overhaul from the core is necessary. Proto announced their plan at Core Scientific’s facility in Georgia, bringing together elite engineers to address the Bitcoin mining crisis.

Their rigs are designed as permanent infrastructure, not disposable gadgets. Central to this is the Proto rig, a modular Bitcoin mining system that could last a decade. It features swappable components for tool-free replacement of boards, fans, and power supplies in seconds.

Each rig delivers 819 TH/s at 14.1 J/TH, matching Bitmain’s efficiency but offering greater longevity. Proto rigs are future-proof, allowing miners to mix new and old technology without costly retrofits. Powering their rig is an open-source 3nm ASIC chip that invites developers to customize and innovate.

Today marks the end of rip and replace Bitcoin mining. Proto Rig—the first miner built to be infrastructure.

• Replaceable hashboards
• Save 15–20% with each cycle
• Works with legacy facilities setups

Built by the team at Block to improve uptime for miners and decentralize… pic.twitter.com/8qAgntl3DF

— Proto (@protomining) August 14, 2025

The chip isn’t the only open-source component of Proto’s design. The Proto Fleet, which is free and open-source, streamlines mining operations with features like granular power consumption control, AI-driven predictive maintenance, and scalable support for both small—and industrial-scale miners.

Proto also offers a Mining Development Kit (MDK) that provides developers with ASIC plans, firmware, and APIs. With these details, developers can create custom Bitcoin mining solutions, even at home, integrating renewable energy setups. The MDK aims to democratize access, invite more players, and address Bitcoin’s current centralization risks, solidifying its position as one of the best cryptos to buy.

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Can Proto Make Bitcoin Mining Profitable Again?

Proto is addressing core inefficiencies in Bitcoin mining. By open-sourcing its chip and the Proto Fleet management platform, Proto could make Bitcoin mining more decentralized in the coming years. Moreover, large players using Proto rigs can upgrade without spending millions on infrastructure.

If Proto delivers on its promise of permanent infrastructure with swappable components, similar to Google data centers, the Bitcoin network will become more resilient, diversified, and inclusive of small players, as it once was. In the current setup, Bitcoin mining is dominated by large pools.

(Source: MemPool)

However, Proto’s rigs face challenges. Observers claim that they are relatively more expensive than competitors’ offerings, which may deter small miners. Currently, the rigs are out of stock.

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The post Bitcoin Mining is Harder Than Ever: Can Apple Engineers Make Mining Profitable Again? appeared first on 99Bitcoins.

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