<p><strong>Hash Rate</strong> is a measure of the computing power used to perform the complex mathematical calculations required for cryptocurrency <a href="/NewSite/encyclopedia/mining/" class="ency-link">mining</a>, particularly in proof-of-work systems like Bitcoin. It is expressed in hashes per second (H/s), where one hash represents a guess at a solution.</p>
<p>Hash rate matters because it determines the likelihood of a miner successfully adding the next block to the blockchain, and thus earning the associated block reward. For instance, a higher hash rate increases the chances of a miner solving the cryptographic puzzle first, but also increases the difficulty of mining, leading to a constant arms race among miners.</p>