# Mining

*Crypto & Digital Assets — Finicade finance glossary*

Mining is competing to solve a computational puzzle for the right to add the next block and collect the reward. The difficulty adjusts automatically so blocks arrive at a steady pace regardless of how much hardware joins, which means added competition raises energy use rather than issuance. Mining economics reduce to one equation: reward value against electricity and hardware cost.

**Also known as:** crypto mining, bitcoin mining, miner

**Related terms:** [Proof of Work](https://finicade.com/glossary/proof-of-work), [Bitcoin](https://finicade.com/glossary/bitcoin), [Halving](https://finicade.com/glossary/halving), [Consensus Mechanism](https://finicade.com/glossary/consensus-mechanism), [51% Attack](https://finicade.com/glossary/51-percent-attack)

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/mining