Your Bitcoin mining break-even point is reached when the value of BTC you earn equals your total costs — mainly electricity, hardware, and maintenance.
In simple terms:
If you earn more BTC per day than that, you’re profitable — if less, you’re losing money.
What Is Break-Even in Bitcoin Mining?
Break-even means your mining income equals your expenses — you’re not losing or gaining money.
Because mining costs are mostly electricity + hardware depreciation, calculating break-even helps miners know when to scale, pause, or upgrade.
Key Cost Factors in Break-Even Calculations
| Category | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | Power for mining rigs | $0.06–$0.10 per kWh |
| Hardware | ASIC miners and setup cost | $2,000–$10,000+ |
| Cooling & Maintenance | Fans, repairs, downtime | 5–10% of operating cost |
| Pool Fees | Mining pool service | 1–2% of rewards |
Your total daily cost = (Power cost × hours) + maintenance + pool fees.
Example: Antminer S19 Pro Break-Even
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Hashrate | 110 TH/s |
| Power Use | 3,250 W |
| Electricity Cost | $0.08 / kWh |
| Bitcoin Price | $65,000 |
| Daily Power Cost | 3.25 × 24 × 0.08 = $6.24 |
| BTC Earned/day | ~0.00022 BTC |
| Value of BTC/day | 0.00022 × 65,000 = $14.30 |
➡️ Profit: $14.30 − $6.24 = $8.06/day
➡️ Break-even BTC: $6.24 ÷ 65,000 = 0.000096 BTC/day
If your miner earns more than 0.000096 BTC/day, you’re profitable.
How to Calculate Your Break-Even BTC
Step 1: Add up daily costs (power + maintenance + pool fees).
Step 2: Divide total cost by BTC price.
Step 3: Compare with your rig’s daily BTC output.
Formula:
Factors That Shift the Break-Even Point
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| BTC Price ↑ | Break-even easier to reach |
| Electricity Cost ↑ | Break-even harder to reach |
| Mining Difficulty ↑ | Earnings per TH/s drop |
| Hardware Efficiency ↑ | Lowers energy cost per hash |
| Halving Events | Cut rewards → raise break-even threshold |
Realistic Scenarios
| Scenario | BTC Price | Electricity | Profitability |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Price, Low Power | $70,000 | $0.04/kWh | Strong profit |
| Low Price, High Power | $30,000 | $0.12/kWh | Likely unprofitable |
| Mid Price, Efficient Rig | $55,000 | $0.06/kWh | Break-even or better |
Hardware ROI Period
Beyond daily profit, miners often measure full ROI — how long it takes to earn back hardware cost.
Example:
-
Miner cost: $4,000
-
Daily profit: $8
-
ROI time = $4,000 ÷ $8 = 500 days (~1.4 years)
If market conditions hold, profits begin after this payback period.
Summary
To break even in Bitcoin mining, your daily BTC earnings must cover:
⚡ Power cost
🔧 Maintenance
💻 Pool fees
💰 Hardware depreciation
Rising Bitcoin prices or cheap electricity move you above break-even.
High difficulty, energy prices, or halving events push you below it.