Hash Rate
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In Brief
Hash rate is the total computing power miners devote to a proof-of-work blockchain, measured in hashes per second — the higher it is, the harder and more expensive the network is to attack.
What Is Hash Rate?
Hash rate is the total computational power miners dedicate to a proof-of-work blockchain, measured in hashes per second — how many guesses the network makes each second in the race to produce the next block. It's the most direct measure of how much real-world energy and hardware stands behind the chain's security.
A higher hash rate means more competition among miners and a more expensive network to attack: anyone hoping to overpower honest miners would need to match a majority of all that machinery.
How Hash Rate Works
Miners run hardware that repeatedly hashes candidate blocks, searching for a result below the network's difficulty target.
The combined guesses of every miner form the network's total hash rate.
The protocol adjusts difficulty periodically so blocks keep arriving at a steady pace, whether hash rate rises or falls.
Individual miners' share of the total hash rate determines their expected share of block rewards.
Why Hash Rate Matters
Security: attacking a proof-of-work chain requires out-hashing the honest majority, so a high hash rate raises the cost of a 51% attack.
Miner confidence: sustained hash-rate growth means miners are investing real capital in the network's future.
It applies to proof-of-work only: proof-of-stake networks secure themselves with staked capital instead of computation.
Hash Rate and Trust Wallet
You don't need to mine to benefit from hash rate — it's what protects the proof-of-work assets you hold. Trust Wallet keeps those assets in self-custody across 100+ blockchains, and for proof-of-stake networks it offers in-app staking, the other model of securing a chain.