<p>This is a valid concern and I think nobody can give you a clear answer here. We'll just have to wait how it evolves and how people react; it is an unclear future.</p>

<p>There are some ideas about changing the proof-of-work algorithm to make mining pools not that profitable, but the effects of such implementations could be various.</p>

<p>I highly recommend <a href="https://blog.ethereum.org/2014/06/19/mining/">this article</a> from Vitalik Buterin, where he walks through the history of Bitcoin mining, explains problems and solutions encountered in the past and describes the situation today. He also dares to predict the future development and provides some ideas to keep the mining decentralized.</p>

<p>It seems there's still a long path in the future of Bitcoin development.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-09T10:02:29.340Z
2014-07-25T22:56:14.313Z
2014-07-25T22:56:14.313Z
knaperek
<p>My understanding of bitcoin is that the miners are the ones keeping bitcoin decentralized. What happens when only the richest of people can afford mining?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-12T03:54:02.167Z
Your question caused the authors of [this paper](http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.7935) to conclude that "the bitcoin 4-year reward halving system [is] very disturbing."
Geremia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-28T22:09:56.490Z
I have the same concern and for me it shows how undefined the space is, which is good I guess. If the community is dynamic and progressive then who knows. It's in the people's hands apparently? Confused actually.
pshmath0
<mining-profitability><hashpower><mining-theory><decentralization>
How will bitcoin stay decentralized when mining becomes extremely expensive?
rewol
# How will bitcoin stay decentralized when mining becomes extremely expensive?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-08)

My understanding of bitcoin is that the miners are the ones keeping bitcoin decentralized. What happens when only the richest of people can afford mining?

**Tags:** mining-profitability, hashpower, mining-theory, decentralization

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Your question caused the authors of [this paper](http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.7935) to conclude that "the bitcoin 4-year reward halving system [is] very disturbing."  
> **username_2**: I have the same concern and for me it shows how undefined the space is, which is good I guess. If the community is dynamic and progressive then who knows. It's in the people's hands apparently? Confused actually.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-07-09. Score: 9

This is a valid concern and I think nobody can give you a clear answer here. We'll just have to wait how it evolves and how people react; it is an unclear future.

There are some ideas about changing the proof-of-work algorithm to make mining pools not that profitable, but the effects of such implementations could be various.

I highly recommend [this article](https://blog.ethereum.org/2014/06/19/mining/) from Vitalik Buterin, where he walks through the history of Bitcoin mining, explains problems and solutions encountered in the past and describes the situation today. He also dares to predict the future development and provides some ideas to keep the mining decentralized.

It seems there's still a long path in the future of Bitcoin development.


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