Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Hits Record 144.4T in February as Bitdeer Sells BTC, Plans $300M+ Notes

Bitcoin mining difficulty climbed nearly 15% in February to an all-time high of 144.4T, marking the largest absolute increase on record, a global crypto mining update shows. Bitdeer fully liquidated its proprietary BTC holdings during the month and outlined plans to issue more than $300M in convertible notes for expansion. Trump's proposed 15% tariff hike coincided with BTC falling below $65,000 and triggering $230M in long liquidations, while Canaan agreed to purchase a 49% stake in Cipher Mining's ABC Projects for $39.75M.