‘Bitcoin Rush’: Small-Time Solo Miners Strike Gold With Full BTC Blocks

Best Owie

3 years ago

3 mins read

Reason to trust

Strict editorial policy that focuses on accuracy, relevance, and impartiality

Created by industry experts and meticulously reviewed

The highest standards in reporting and publishing

How Our News is Made

Strict editorial policy that focuses on accuracy, relevance, and impartiality

Ad discliamer

Morbi pretium leo et nisl aliquam mollis. Quisque arcu lorem, ultricies quis pellentesque nec, ullamcorper eu odio.

Small-time bitcoin miners are making headlines for essentially hitting the jackpot by mining full blocks all on their own. In what has become a modern-day ‘gold rush’, bitcoin enthusiasts are now taking to booting up small USB miners will tiny hash rates to try their luck in what is eerily similar to buying lottery tickets. Among the miners who have rushed to this, a few have hit the ultimate prize.

Solo Bitcoin Miner Gets Full Block

In an unlikely event, a solo miner was able to mine a full bitcoin block with a low hash rate. This was made public by Dr. Kolivas, a software engineer that contributed to the development of the Cgminer. He revealed that the solo bitcoin miner had been able to solve a full block by themselves using only 86TH. This took place at a block height of 270,175.

Congratulations to another miner with approximately 86TH solving a solo block on https://t.co/UWgBvLkDqc ! There are a lot more miners now on the solo pool and if enough people are mining solo, someone will eventually be the lucky one as here. https://t.co/Hqte2achR4 pic.twitter.com/0ZT635LicD

— Dr -ck (@ckpooldev) January 24, 2022

The miner who is part of a mining pool that allows solo miners pool their hash rates together to increasing their chances of solving a block was able to get the full block reward after solving. The miner had gotten the full block reward of 6.25 BTC, netting them a total of more than $220,000 at current prices, in addition to the transaction fee paid to the block miner.

With such low computational power as the one possessed by this miner, it makes it near impossible for them to be able to mine a block by themselves. They would not be the first to get lucky.

Two weeks ago, another solo miner from the same mining pool had hit the same jackpot, mining a block and earning the full block reward plus transaction fees.

The BTC Rush

One thing about proof of work mechanisms is the high computation power required to mine bitcoin blocks. As more players enter into the mining space, armed with millions of dollars in institutional backing, being a small-time miner is nearly unprofitable. This is why mining pools like the ckpool exist.

BTC recovers above $36,000 | Source: BTCUSD on TradingView.com

In these pools, solo miners are able to bring their low computational power together to increase their chances of finding a block. Dr. Kolivas explained that while this miner had fluctuated in their mining power, they were able to solve the block with only 8.3 terahashes.

Laying out the math, he explained that by pooling their hashes, miners were able to increase their chances of solving a block to a 1 in 5 chance or a 20% chance. As more miners join the pool, the chances to go solve a block go up. In a reply to another user, Dr. Kolivas explains that if the current hashrate were to increase by 4, then the chances of mining a block jump to 63%.

Featured image from Pinterest, chart from TradingView.com

Best Owie

Best Owie is a seasoned managing editor with a wealth of experience currently serving as the Managing Editor at NewsBTC. Best is a highly skilled professional with a track record of producing engaging and informative content. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for accuracy, Best is committed to ensuring that each article published meets the highest standards of quality.

Best has over six years of experience in the crypto industry and has overseen the creation and publishing of thousands of articles over the years. Best is always abreast of everything that is going on in the crypto industry in order to create and curate the most relevant content for readers. This shines through in Best’s publications, which are always clear and concise, enabling easy reading and understanding for all.

Best is also an avid learner and advocate for new technology. This has seen Best dive into topics in areas such as decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Layer 2 blockchains, etc. In addition to this, Best is a vocal member of the crypto community across various social media platforms such as X and Reddit. Best’s work garners tens of thousands of readers monthly, who rely on the information in these publications to keep up-to-date with everything happening in the crypto community.

Best’s articles explore breaking news, intricate systems such as yield farming, liquidity pools, and other decentralized finance (DeFi) systems. This is because Best understands the importance of information to gaining financial freedom and believes that everyone should have access to this information.

Best also believes in leveraging the blockchain for philanthropy to create the most positive social impact. This involves work with charitable organizations focused on financial literacy and education. With each article, Best lends a voice to important issues such as a more financially inclusive future, transparent systems for growth and development, and technology that is not self-serving but one that serves all of humanity.

When not curating engaging content, Best can be found reading a book with a cup of hot chocolate, enjoying a Netflix series, or exploring the outdoors with Green - the world’s most quiet and well-behaved Husky. Best’s interests also span other industries such as art, finance, and security, attending seminars and conferences in not just the crypto industry but other industries as well.

As an animal lover, Best is also involved with charities for animals, local shelters, and rescues. Best is also involved in local events that promote inclusivity, such as being a prominent member of hiking clubs and a cycling club, as well as being a part of a very happy group of animal lovers.

Best is a true professional in every sense of the word, with an exceptional dedication to producing high-quality work. This shines through in Best's work on and off the clock. These include advocating for inclusive crypto education for all, the impact of financial illiteracy, and the benefits of adopting new technologies such as cryptocurrencies. Best’s prolific career in the media industry is a testament of how hard work and dedication pays.

Disclaimer: The information found on NewsBTC is for educational purposes only. It does not represent the opinions of NewsBTC on whether to buy, sell or hold any investments and naturally investing carries risks. You are advised to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Use information provided on this website entirely at your own risk.