Wednesday, 20 August 2025
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Bitcoin at risk of a 51% attack from two miners

Bitcoin at risk of a 51% attack

  • Foundry USA and AntPool now control over half of Bitcoin’s hash power.
  • Bitcoin price is slipping toward $110,530, a crucial support level.
  • Macro fears and Fed shifts add pressure to already weak crypto markets.

After Monero’s 51% takeover, two Bitcoin mining pools have sparked fears of a potential 51% attack on Bitcoin.

Notably, the developments have raised critical questions about the security of the Bitcoin network and the stability of the wider crypto market.

Also, the concerns over mining centralisation have intensified just as BTC faces steep price declines and broader macroeconomic pressures.

Two mining pools dominate Bitcoin’s hash power

Two major mining pools, Foundry USA and AntPool, now control more than half of Bitcoin’s total computing power.

Foundry even mined eight consecutive blocks in a row, an event that is extremely rare and has heightened fears of network centralization.

With over 51% of the hash power concentrated in just two entities, experts warn that Bitcoin is technically vulnerable to a 51% attack.

In such a scenario, the dominant miners could potentially reorganize blocks, censor transactions, or undermine trust in the network.

While such an attack would be extremely costly and perhaps self-defeating, the centralization trend has raised red flags across the community.

Rising empty blocks and collapsing fees

Alongside the hash power imbalance, analysts have noted an increase in the number of empty blocks being mined.

Empty blocks generate lower transaction fees, which has led to collapsing revenues for miners and less efficient network usage.

This situation has further fueled concerns about the long-term sustainability of the Bitcoin ecosystem, particularly as users demand greater efficiency from the blockchain.

Although some commentators argue that a 51% attack would require an astronomical investment, estimated at around $1.1 trillion, they also admit that the risk of manipulation grows when power becomes too concentrated.

Supporters of Bitcoin believe that no rational actor would spend…

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