On December 18, 2025, a lone miner successfully validated a Bitcoin block by spending just $86 on rented computing power, earning a reward of over $271,000.

🪙 What exactly happened?

Event: An independent miner processed a Bitcoin block on their own.

Cost: They only spent $86 renting computing power on the NiceHash platform, a hashpower marketplace.

Reward: They received the block subsidy (3.125 BTC) plus transaction fees (0.027 BTC), totaling 3.152 BTC ≈ $271,385.

Date: December 18, 2025.

⚙️ How was it possible?

Solo mining: Individual miners typically have a low probability of finding a block, as they compete against large pools with thousands of machines.

Probability: This case illustrates the probabilistic nature of mining: although improbable, a miner with limited computing power can "win the lottery" and solve a block.

Tool used: The miner didn't own expensive equipment but instead rented hashpower temporarily from NiceHash.

⚠️ Risks and realities

Not easily replicable: Most solo miners never find a block.

Extreme luck: This case is more of a stroke of luck than a sustainable strategy.

Competitive market: Large pools continue to dominate mining thanks to their massive computing power.

Illusion of accessibility: While inspiring, it doesn't mean that anyone can mine a block with $100; the probability is extremely low.

✨ Reflection

This episode is a reminder that Bitcoin works like a mathematical lottery: each hash is a ticket, and although big players buy millions of tickets, a small participant can, on very rare occasions, win the jackpot.