Median Block Interval
- 1M1M
- 3M3M
- 6M6M
- 1Y1Y
- ALLALL
- LinearLinear
- LogLog
About this metric
What it measures
Median Block Interval is the middle value after sorting the intervals between successive blocks in each day’s sample, measured in seconds. Unlike the mean, it is less sensitive to a small number of exceptionally long gaps.
How to read it
A rising median means the center of the interval distribution is shifting toward longer waits; a falling median means shorter typical gaps. The median was 913 seconds on June 27, 2021, when the mean was about 1,398 seconds, showing how both broad slowdown and long outliers can matter.
The 10-minute protocol target applies to the mean, so a median below 600 seconds does not by itself mean the network is too fast. Daily samples and block timestamps add noise, and this measure is neither Bitcoin’s median-time-past consensus timestamp nor a transaction confirmation estimate.
- Frequency
- Daily (UTC 00:00)
- Asset
- BTC
- Category
- Blocks & Outputs
- Type
- Single value
- Data since
- 2009-01-03
- Latest data
- 2026-10-27
FAQ
Why is median block time usually below the average?
Block gaps have a long right tail: occasional long waits pull up the mean more than the median. The full-history median of this daily series is about 404 seconds, or 6.7 minutes.
Is Median Block Interval the same as median time past?
No. This chart takes the median of time gaps between blocks. Median time past is a separate consensus timestamp calculated from the preceding 11 block timestamps.
What does a high mean with a much lower median suggest?
A smaller number of long gaps may be lifting the average while most intervals remain shorter. When both rise together, the slowdown is spread more broadly across the daily sample.
