Block_Time_Avg
Tech spec
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| API name (slug) | block_time_avg |
| Group | network statistics |
| Unit / Valuetype | secs / other |
| Shape | scalar |
| Resolutions | d1 |
| Endpoints | /v2/network_statistics |
| Tier | 0 |
| Last updated | 2025-12-16 19:49 UTC |
| Docs | Open in Swagger |
Brief Description: The time, in seconds, required to mine a Bitcoin block.
Block_Time_Avg provides insights into Bitcoin mining efficiency and network conditions, reflecting variations in block discovery time caused by hash rate and difficulty adjustments.
Advanced Explanation The Block_Time_Avg metric measures the time miners take to discover and add each block each day. Under ideal conditions, Bitcoin's protocol aims to maintain a 10-minute interval between each block mined. However, fluctuations in mining difficulty, network hash rate and randomness can affect this time.
The Bitcoin network adjusts its difficulty approximately every two weeks, aiming to return the average block time back to 10 minutes if it has deviated from this target due to changes in the network's total hash rate. This self-correcting mechanism ensures that Bitcoin's supply rate remains steady, a critical component of its value proposition as digital gold.