<blockquote>
<p>Is that one of the consensus rules?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Thus, the target value can increase/decrease depending on the current hash rate but must be less than a given value?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes. In addition, it can only increase or decrease by a maximum factor 4 every retarget period.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-31T05:12:47.713Z
`it can only increase or decrease by a factor 4 every retarget period` To me, this sounds like it can only increase or decrease by 4 times in each retarget period, and that no value in between is allowed (for example, the target cannot be "eased" by 1.3 times). As far as I know, 4 and 1/4 are the upper and lower bounds, but everything in between is allowed. Am I missing something?
LeaBit
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-31T05:18:23.313Z
Yes, 1/4 is the lower bound factor, and 4 is the upper bound factor. If either of those limits is exceeded, a factor 1/4 or 4 is used instead.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-12-31T03:06:08.910Z
2023-12-31T05:17:01.233Z
2023-12-31T05:17:01.233Z
Pieter Wuille
<p><a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/8811/145749">What is &quot;difficulty&quot; and how it relates to &quot;target&quot;?</a> states that the largest possible target value (max target value) is:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>0x00000000FFFF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Difficulty" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Difficulty page on the Bitcoin wiki</a> also mentions the same value as the highest possible target.</p>
<p>The same is also the target value in genesis block and the first 2016 blocks.</p>
<p>Why is that the largest (max) target value? Is it one of the consensus rules? Thus, the target value can increase/decrease depending on the current hash rate but must be less than a given value?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-02T16:41:51.733Z
Searching for `0x00000000FFFF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000` on this site results in a list of 23 posts. In the future, could you please check whether your question has been asked before?
Murch
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-02T17:12:04.420Z
@Murch My question was focused on why `0x00000000FFFF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000` is the maximum target value, in terms of whether it is some math that limits the value to be higher or is it just a consensus rule. I have not found anywhere that this is because it is just a consensus rule. All questions are mainly related to how difficulty and target are calculated and what is the relation between them. I see no reason to close the question and downvote.
LeaBit
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-02T17:40:01.873Z
Your question is titled "What is the largest possible target value?", which is answered in both the topics I linked, while the answers also explain that it is so by definition. If your main question is not "what is the largest possible target", but "Why is `0x00000000FFFF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000` the max target?", please edit your question’s title to reflect that. Happy to reopen in that case.
Murch
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-02T17:46:24.537Z
On second thought, I would then consider it a duplicate of https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/67727/5406, so I’ve added that as an original.
Murch
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-02T17:49:21.507Z
@Murch Ahh, let it stay as it is (closed). Its fine. I just wanted to know whether its consensus rule.
LeaBit
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-02T17:56:13.180Z
Well, then I’m confused why the title of your question is not "Is the maximum target a consensus rule?" instead of "What is the largest possible target value?".
Murch
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-02T18:21:23.130Z
@Murch Yes, it should have been. I edited it.
LeaBit
<difficulty><consensus>
Is the maximum target a consensus rule?
LeaBit
# Is the maximum target a consensus rule?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-12-31)

[What is "difficulty" and how it relates to "target"?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/8811/145749) states that the largest possible target value (max target value) is:

> 0x00000000FFFF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The [Difficulty page on the Bitcoin wiki](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Difficulty) also mentions the same value as the highest possible target.

The same is also the target value in genesis block and the first 2016 blocks.

Why is that the largest (max) target value? Is it one of the consensus rules? Thus, the target value can increase/decrease depending on the current hash rate but must be less than a given value?

**Tags:** difficulty, consensus

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Searching for `0x00000000FFFF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000` on this site results in a list of 23 posts. In the future, could you please check whether your question has been asked before?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 My question was focused on why `0x00000000FFFF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000` is the maximum target value, in terms of whether it is some math that limits the value to be higher or is it just a consensus rule. I have not found anywhere that this is because it is just a consensus rule. All questions are mainly related to how difficulty and target are calculated and what is the relation between them. I see no reason to close the question and downvote.  
> **username_1**: Your question is titled "What is the largest possible target value?", which is answered in both the topics I linked, while the answers also explain that it is so by definition. If your main question is not "what is the largest possible target", but "Why is `0x00000000FFFF0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000` the max target?", please edit your question’s title to reflect that. Happy to reopen in that case.  
> **username_1**: On second thought, I would then consider it a duplicate of https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/67727/5406, so I’ve added that as an original.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Ahh, let it stay as it is (closed). Its fine. I just wanted to know whether its consensus rule.  
> **username_1**: Well, then I’m confused why the title of your question is not "Is the maximum target a consensus rule?" instead of "What is the largest possible target value?".  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Yes, it should have been. I edited it.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-12-31. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

> Is that one of the consensus rules?

Yes.

> Thus, the target value can increase/decrease depending on the current hash rate but must be less than a given value?

Yes. In addition, it can only increase or decrease by a maximum factor 4 every retarget period.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: `it can only increase or decrease by a factor 4 every retarget period` To me, this sounds like it can only increase or decrease by 4 times in each retarget period, and that no value in between is allowed (for example, the target cannot be "eased" by 1.3 times). As far as I know, 4 and 1/4 are the upper and lower bounds, but everything in between is allowed. Am I missing something?  
> **username_2**: Yes, 1/4 is the lower bound factor, and 4 is the upper bound factor. If either of those limits is exceeded, a factor 1/4 or 4 is used instead.  

---

