Rising energy costs significantly impact cryptocurrency mining profitability, as electricity accounts for 90-95% of mining expenses. In 2024, Bitcoin mining consumed ~150 TWh annually, comparable to Argentina’s energy use, with costs escalating due to increased mining difficulty post-halving. Trend data shows miners in high-cost regions like the U.S. face losses (e.g., ~$107,000/BTC mined vs. $57,909 market price), while low-cost regions like Asia remain profitable. Investment returns are dimming for small-scale miners unless they access cheap, renewable energy or upgrade to efficient ASICs. Large-scale operations with sustainable energy contracts may still yield modest returns, but volatility risks persist.