Exposing a dirty secret: What uses more power, Bitcoin, streaming, AI, or social media?

Bitcoin mining consumed around 171 TWh in 2025, representing 16% of total data center energy use. All traditional data centers worldwide consumed between 448 and 1,050 TWh in 2025, with estimates varying across analysts' data. Gartner has it at 448 TWh, while Socomec and the IEA cite a range between 600 and 1050 TWh. Gartner […]