The most recent Bitcoin halving occurred on May 11, 2020, and the next halving is expected to take place in 2024. You may be asking what halving is. What purpose does it serve? What effect does this have on Bitcoin? And what does this signify for miners’ long-term prospects with Bitcoin? Well, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
The phrase “Bitcoin halving,” sometimes referred to as “the halvening,” alludes to one of the most widely awaited occurrences in the digital asset’s history.
As of May 11, 2020, block rewards, defined as the number of bitcoins (BTC) that enter circulation every ten minutes, has been cut in half, from 12.5 to 6.25. The halving of Bitcoin is a symbolic event that happens every 210,000 blocks and happened twice before to 2020.
The prospect of possible fortune is one of the aspects that contribute to the event’s popularity. While the number of new bitcoins entering circulation is dropping, demand should theoretically stay constant, resulting in an increase in bitcoin’s price. As a result of the occurrence, a strong discussion has erupted about bitcoin price expectations and the market’s likely response.
Bitcoin halving is based on the premise that with fewer Bitcoins available for purchase, miners will have less to sell. However, rather than short-term price fluctuations, the periodic decline in Bitcoin’s mining rate may have a more fundamental effect on the currency’s overall functioning than the latter.
The block reward is crucial to Bitcoin since it is one of the aspects that contribute to the decentralised system’s overall security. It is likely that the economic incentives that drive bitcoin’s security may become destabilised over the course of many decades as rewards dwindle to zero.
While this may seem to be a little complicated, we’ve got you covered. Continue reading to learn all there is to know about Bitcoin halving.
Understanding the technicalities behind Bitcoin Halving:
The Bitcoin protocol is based on algorithms that regulate network activities such as controlling the pace at which new coins are produced and competing to validate transactions, a process known as mining.
Bitcoin can remain decentralized and maintain a functioning system via mining. To compensate miners for their efforts, the network periodically adds new Bitcoins to circulation as a reward for miners who use costly equipment to produce new coins.
The Bitcoin protocol halves the pace at which new Bitcoins are generated every four years, or every 210,000 blocks. Currently, the Bitcoin system awards 6.25 Bitcoins for each block added to the blockchain; previously, in 2009, the system compensated 50 Bitcoins for each block added to the network.
The Bitcoin halving process is scheduled to conclude when the total number of Bitcoins in circulation hits 21 million. At the moment, 18.9 million Bitcoins are in circulation. According to common estimates, the Bitcoin halving event will conclude around 2140.
How does Bitcoin halving affect Bitcoin’s price?
Many believe that halving Bitcoin would result in a rise in the currency’s price. However, the fact is that no one can anticipate the future. However, Bitcoin has already seen three halvings, which we can use as a benchmark.
The first market response to Nakamoto’s unusual supply strategy came with the 2012 halving. As a consequence, no one was certain how an abrupt reduction in incentives would effect the Bitcoin network. The price instantly began to rise after the halving.
While everyone expected another increase for the subsequent halves, the 2016 halving was disappointing. On the day of Bitcoin’s halving, July 16, 2016, the price fell 10% to $610 but quickly recovered to its prior level.
Although the second halving had minimal immediate effect on the price of bitcoin, investors responded over time. According to others, the surge was caused by the halving of Bitcoin. According to studies, as the supply of bitcoin declines, demand will stay constant, and the price would climb. Bitcoin’s price soared 284 percent to $2,506 a year after the second halving.
Even a year after the most recent half of the bitcoin price, the cryptocurrency’s price continues to rise. Bitcoin sold for over $60,000 a year after the last halving. Bitcoin is still worth $60,000 today.
The role of Miners:
Without block rewards, Bitcoin would cease to exist. Bitcoin is comprised of two components. It should be able to determine which assets are owned by whom and when. Bitcoin circumvents this problem by building its network on blockchain technology and safeguarding it with advanced encryption.
The second component of Bitcoin’s operation is guaranteeing that no one generates money out of thin air. Without block rewards, the Bitcoin network may come to a grinding halt. If someone has sufficient computational power to control more than 51% of the processing power, they may attack the Bitcoin network by double spending money or by completely halting transactions. This is why they are severely discouraged from attempting double-spending or halting transactions, since they risk forfeiting their block rewards.
The more miners on the network, the more difficult it is to attack it.
What happens if block rewards become too small?
A future fall in incentives may become a cause for worry. This is because miners must be motivated to continue working. They have a right to compensate. After all, they are not utilising these exorbitantly expensive computers to better their health.
However, the block reward will ultimately be lowered to zero due to the drop in block payments. However, one method for miners to earn money is via transaction fees, which users must pay for each transaction they submit.
What happens if there are no coins left?
While no one can foresee what would happen if there are no coins remaining, It is widely believed that Bitcoin’s value will skyrocket when the currency ceases to inflate. With a limited amount of Bitcoins and increasing demand in the future, the price might rise.
About MyCryptoParadise:
MyCryptoParadise has over 6 years of experience in providing cryptocurrency trading signals which could easily be lauded as some of the best signals in the market today. Our platform holds this status because we continue to offer some of the most intuitive technical analysis, educational content, current updates, and news reports in the industry that greatly benefit our customers by allowing them to take the edge over their competition.
We have established a brand through hard work and repeated success from our market insights. Our customers have had their fair share of profitable trades and gains in the market thanks to our advice and analysis. We’re also happy to share that we consistently produce top-class educational content on platforms such as TradingView, Youtube, Telegram and Facebook and Instagram where we provide in-depth and valuable content that enables customers and upcoming traders to elevate their trading game to the next level.
Unlike other crypto channels on Telegram- We are a professional trading company; we offer both free and premium signal groups where members enjoy the benefits of expert trading advice and signals. With our ParadiseVIP Membership, you can gain access to a personal crypto expert to help you with the basics, teach you how to execute our trades, and give you insights about the risk and fund management techniques that we use.
Moreover, we also offer an introductory call with one of our experts once you join us before you start trading. Don’t believe us? check what our happy customers have to say. Join us and become part of a thriving community of members who are taking their trading game to the next level.