Define ‘Mining Difficulty’ and How It Adjusts over Time

Mining difficulty is a measure of how hard it is to find a hash below a specific target, which is necessary to mine a new block. It is algorithmically adjusted by the protocol to ensure a consistent block creation time, regardless of the total hash rate.

If the hash rate increases, the difficulty increases to slow down block creation. If the hash rate drops, the difficulty decreases to speed it up.

This ensures predictable issuance.