Hash Rate

Hash rate measures how much computing power a proof-of-work network, a mining pool or a single machine applies to searching for valid block hashes, expressed in hashes per second and usually quoted in terahashes or exahashes. Also called hashing power, it is the main indicator of how expensive it would be to rewrite recent history: the higher the total network hash rate, the more hardware and electricity an attacker would need for a fifty-one percent attack. Hash rate rises as more or faster machines come online and falls when miners switch off, for example after a sharp price drop or a local energy shortage. Networks respond by adjusting mining difficulty so blocks keep arriving at a steady average pace.