Bitcoin mining difficulty reached a new all-time high of 142.3 trillion on Friday, with hashrate hitting over 1.1 trillion hashes per second. Rising difficulty and energy requirements are making it harder for miners to compete, raising concerns about centralization. Governments like Bhutan, Pakistan, and El Salvador are exploring Bitcoin mining using excess energy resources. Energy companies in Texas are integrating Bitcoin mining to balance electrical loads and create profit.

Read more at Cointelegraph: Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Hits New All-Time High Again in September