Solo Bitcoin Miner Strikes $330K Jackpot Amid Record Difficulty

In a network where difficulty has escalated to an unprecedented 126.98 trillion, a solo Bitcoin miner achieved a remarkable feat by securing a $330,386 block reward for mining block 899,826.

This rare success underscores the persistence of individual miners in a landscape dominated by large-scale mining operations, as Bitcoin's computational demands continue to escalate.

Rare Victory in a Competitive Field

The miner, operating within the Solo CK pool, successfully validated block 899,826 on June 5, processing 3,680 transactions. The reward comprised a 3.125 Bitcoin (BTC) subsidy, valued at approximately $105,679 per BTC, and an additional 0.026 BTC in transaction fees, totaling $330,386, according to mempool.space data.

The average transaction fee was around $0.29, with a median fee rate of 2 satoshis per virtual byte, indicating low network congestion.

Con Kolivas, a software engineer and Solo CK pool administrator, noted that the miner likely utilized a rented hashrate of 259 petahashes per second (PH/s), a significant boost from their usual lower hashrate, suggesting a strategic move to increase their chances of securing the block.

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Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Hits Historic Peak

On June 1, Bitcoin's mining difficulty reached an all-time high of 126.98 trillion, as reported by Blockchain.com, reflecting intensified competition and enhanced network security.

The network's total hashrate, which measures the computational power securing the blockchain, drives this metric, which adjusts every 2,016 blocks.

At current difficulty levels, the probability of a solo miner solving a block is extraordinarily low, making such victories increasingly rare.

The total network hashrate has climbed to 817.8 exahashes per second (EH/s), a 50% increase from last year, further challenging small-scale miners.

Did You Know?
Solo Bitcoin miners, despite controlling less than 0.21% of the network’s hashrate, have solved approximately 0.03% of all blocks since 2014, showcasing the rare but possible rewards of independent mining.

Rising Trend of Solo Mining Success

This win is part of a notable uptick in solo mining successes in 2025. On March 10, a solo miner using a low-cost rig earned 3.15 BTC, worth $263,000, for block 887,212 via the Solo CK pool, marking the 297th solo win in the pool’s history. Similarly, on February 10, another solo miner secured a $310,000 reward for block 883,181, processing 3,071 transactions.

These events highlight the occasional triumphs of individual miners, often supported by initiatives like the 256 Foundation, which promotes decentralized mining with affordable rigs like the FutureBit Apollo.

Despite the dominance of large mining pools, these wins signal that solo mining remains a viable, albeit challenging, pursuit.