That figure more than doubles the $8.7 trillion handled in 2023 and decisively ends a two-year decline in transaction volume since the 2021 bull market peak.

Source: Pierre Rochard

The 2021 boom saw Bitcoin transactions skyrocket to approximately $47 trillion before sharp declines followed in 2022 and 2023. Pierre Rochard, vice president of research at Riot Platforms, summarized the significance of the rebound in 2024:

“The Bitcoin network finalized more than $19 trillion worth of BTC transactions in 2024, decisively proving that Bitcoin is both a store of value and a medium of exchange.”

Bitcoin’s Hashrate Hits Unprecedented 1,000 EH/s

Another headline moment came on January 3, 2024, when Bitcoin’s total computing power, or hashrate, hit an all-time high of 1,000 exahashes per second (EH/s). That milestone highlighted the network’s increasing security and efficiency. However, the hashrate later stabilized around 775 EH/s, as reported by CryptoQuant.

Source: CryptoQuant

Bitcoin mining saw a global reshuffle, with U.S.-based mining pools gaining ground. Foundry USA and MARA Pool mined over 38.5% of all blocks in 2024, contributing significantly to the more than 40% share held by American operations. Still, Chinese mining pools maintained a stronghold on the majority of the global hashrate.

Source: Hashrate Index

The decentralized and pseudonymous nature of Bitcoin mining, coupled with the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), makes it challenging to pinpoint the true geographic distribution of miners. Regardless, the increase in hashing power reflects a resilient and growing network.

Bitcoin celebrated its 16th birthday in January 2024, marking the anniversary of the Genesis Block mined on January 3, 2009. That historic moment brought 50 BTC into existence, initiated by the cryptocurrency’s enigmatic creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Since then, an impressive 877,665 blocks have been mined, forming the foundation of Bitcoin’s immutable ledger.

The network’s difficulty, which measures how hard it is to mine a block, reached an all-time high of 109.78 trillion hashes in 2024. That leap underscores Bitcoin’s growing robustness and security, making unauthorized alterations to its blockchain increasingly implausible. According to Bitinfocharts, the higher difficulty also solidifies Bitcoin as a fortress-like system, just as Nakamoto envisioned.

Bitcoin’s Core Strength in 2024

Contributing to Bitcoin’s momentous 2024 were two pivotal events: the introduction of a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States and the highly anticipated halving in April. The ETF’s debut provided institutional investors with easier access to the market, while the halving, which reduced mining rewards by half, bolstered scarcity.

The reduced block rewards also played a role in Bitcoin reaching a new all-time high of roughly $108,000 during the year. That price milestone reflects the cryptocurrency’s increasing adoption as both an asset and a transactional medium.

Despite debates over mining pool dominance, Bitcoin’s decentralized nature remains its core strength. Mining pools headquartered in specific countries often rely on individual miners worldwide, maintaining a broad distribution of power. The network’s reliance on such decentralization ensures its security and resilience against potential threats.