What Is the Minimum Hash Rate Required for a Successful 51% Attack on Bitcoin?
There is no fixed minimum hash rate, as the required power is always 51% of the current total network hash rate. This total hash rate is constantly fluctuating based on the number of active miners.
For a large network like Bitcoin, this requirement translates to a prohibitive amount of computational power and an astronomical, ongoing energy cost. The economic barrier to acquiring 51% of the total hash rate is what makes a sustained attack practically impossible.
Glossar
Total Hash Rate
Computation ⎊ Total Hash Rate represents the collective computational power dedicated to a blockchain network, fundamentally influencing its security and operational efficiency.
Hash Rate
Power ⎊ Hash rate quantifies the total computational power dedicated to solving the cryptographic puzzle in a Proof-of-Work network.
Computational Power
Algorithm ⎊ Computational power, within cryptocurrency, options trading, and financial derivatives, fundamentally represents the processing capacity dedicated to executing complex calculations essential for network operation and trade execution.
Economic Barrier
Constraint ⎊ An Economic Barrier represents a quantifiable financial or resource constraint that limits participation, entry, or competition within a specific market segment, protocol, or trading activity.
Sustained Attack
Attack ⎊ A sustained attack refers to a prolonged, coordinated effort by an adversary to continuously compromise the consensus mechanism of a blockchain network over an extended period, typically to facilitate repeated double-spending or censorship.
Total Network Hash Rate
Security ⎊ ⎊ Total Network Hash Rate represents the collective computational power dedicated to a proof-of-work blockchain, directly influencing the cost of attacking the network.