Hash rate or hashing is the computational power or speed of a mining device or the performance of a network's cryptographic hash operations.
Hash rates measure the number of hashes per second and they are a vital metric in evaluating the strength and competitiveness of mining operations.
Hashes are expressed in units such as:
- Hashes per second (H/s)
- Kilohashes per second (kH/s)
- Megahashes per second (MH/s)
The hash rate influences the efficiency and security of a blockchain network. A higher hash rate signifies a greater computational capacity to validate transactions and mine new blocks.