What is crypto mining?
How new bitcoins are made, and whether mining at home still makes sense.
Crypto mining is the process of using computers to add new blocks of transactions to a proof-of-work blockchain like Bitcoin. Miners race to solve a hard guessing puzzle; the winner adds the block and earns newly created coins plus transaction fees. It's how new bitcoins enter circulation and how the network stays secure.
How mining works
- Miners collect waiting transactions into a candidate block.
- They repeatedly change a number in the block and hash it, looking for a result below a target. It's pure trial and error, trillions of guesses a second across the network.
- The first to find a valid hash broadcasts the block; everyone else checks it instantly and moves on to the next one.
- The winner receives the block reward (3.125 BTC since April 2024) plus the block's fees.
More detail in proof of work, or try a tiny version in the blockchain demo.
What it takes today
- ASIC miners: machines built only for Bitcoin's hash function. Ordinary computers and even graphics cards are thousands to millions of times too slow to compete.
- Cheap electricity: power is the main ongoing cost. Large mining companies seek out the cheapest power in the world.
- Mining pools: most miners join a pool, which combines their power and shares rewards in proportion to work done, giving steady small payouts instead of a rare jackpot.
Can you still mine bitcoin?
Yes, anyone can, but profit at home is unlikely for most people. Electricity at typical US household rates often costs more than the bitcoin a single machine earns, and machines are loud and hot. "Solo mining" without a pool is like a lottery ticket: small home miners do occasionally win a whole block, but the odds are tiny.
Many "cloud mining" contracts and phone "mining" apps are scams or unprofitable by design. Phones can't meaningfully mine bitcoin. Be very wary of any mining offer with guaranteed daily returns.
Other coins
Some smaller proof-of-work coins can still be mined with graphics cards, though rewards are usually small. Ethereum can no longer be mined: it switched to proof of stake in 2022.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to mine one bitcoin?
The whole network produces about 450 new bitcoins a day (144 blocks × 3.125 BTC). How long one person's share takes depends entirely on their fraction of the network's total power, which for a home miner is tiny.
Is crypto mining legal?
In the US, yes. Some countries ban or restrict it.
Can I mine bitcoin on my phone?
Not in any meaningful way. Apps that claim to mine bitcoin on a phone are usually games, rewards programs or scams.
Where to next
Sources
Written for beginners and checked against the sources listed. Last reviewed October 26, 2026. This page is educational and is not financial, tax or legal advice. How we write and check pages.