Introduction to Bitcoin Halving
With much excitement about the rising price of Bitcoin, the upcoming Bitcoin halving event has become the talk of the town. What is all the hype about? What significance does it hold in 2024?
This article will explain everything you need to know about Bitcoin halving. It will briefly describe what it is, what it means for investors and miners, and its impact on the global crypto market.
What is Bitcoin Halving?
Bitcoin halving is a periodic event that takes place after every 210,000th Bitcoin block has been mined. Since it takes about 10 minutes to mine a single block on the Bitcoin blockchain, when you do the math, 210,000 blocks are mined approximately every four years. Thus, Bitcoin halving occurs once every four years.
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The term "halving" in "Bitcoin halving" refers to reducing mining rewards by half. This means that the amount of new Bitcoins awarded to miners for validating transactions is cut in half at every Bitcoin halving, effectively decreasing the rate at which new Bitcoins are introduced into circulation.
The 2024 Bitcoin halving is the 4th of its kind. The first one was in 2012, the second in 2016, and the third one occurred in 2020.
Here is a table depicting the mining reward and Bitcoin’s price in the last three halving cycles.
| Bitcoin Halving Number | Bitcoin Halving Year | Mining Reward | Price at Halving | ATH of the Year |
| 1 | 2012 | 50 to 25 | $13 | $1,152 |
| 2 | 2016 | 25 to 12.5 | $664 | $17,760 |
| 3 | 2020 | 12.5 to 6.25 | $9,734 | $67,549 |
This new peak price in 2020 was even though most of the global market was affected and came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Start Your Bitcoin Journey: Invest with a ClickThe 2024 Bitcoin Halving: What to Expect
The 2024 Bitcoin halving is expected to happen on April 17, 2024, and is being highly anticipated.
Experts, including Robert Kiyosaki, have predicted that Bitcoin could reach $100,000 by June 2024, while Standard Chartered suggests that Bitcoin could soar to $200,000 by the end of the year.
These optimistic price predictions are driven by several factors, such as the approval of the Bitcoin Spot ETF by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) of the US coinciding with the Bitcoin Halving, adoption of Bitcoin in multiple countries, and growing awareness amongst the general population.
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How Does Bitcoin Halving Affect Miners?
For miners, the Bitcoin halving results in a reduction of their mining rewards by half.However, this doesn't necessarily lead to lower profitability. The reason is that the value of the Bitcoin they earn, despite being halved, is likely to increase.
To continue being profitable after the halving, miners need to make their hardware more efficient and use less electricity when the mining difficulty changes.
Bitcoin Halving and Its Impact on Investors
The general agenda of Bitcoin halving is to be a deflationary event designed to slow down its supply and increase scarcity. If demand remains steady or increases, this can potentially push Bitcoin's value over time.
This price hike is already happening, with the price of Bitcoin increasing from $46,000 (at the beginning of January) to $68,000 at the beginning of March.
To further reinforce this optimistic outlook, Bitcoin's market capitalization reached a record-breaking $1.3 trillion on March 4, 2024.
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Preparing for the Bitcoin Halving 2024
With much buzz around the Bitcoin halving event, investors must conduct thorough research and analysis and regularly stay updated with crypto news. Experts believe buying Bitcoin before the event occurs for the long-term will be much more favorable, as the price might invariably increase a few months post-halving. Adopting a long-term holding strategy could position an investor well to benefit from any subsequent Bitcoin price increase.
Lastly, brace yourself for potential volatility surrounding the halving event.
Where can I buy Bitcoin in India?
You can buy Bitcoin from trusted crypto exchanges in India. A popular choice is Mudrex, an Indian crypto exchange that’s registered with the FIU-IND and is 100% compliant with Indian legal regulations.
The Global Impact of Bitcoin Halving
- More Bitcoin Investors: Bitcoin halving in the past has led to increased price volatility in the short term as investors speculate on the impact of reduced supply. This volatility can attract new investors looking for profitable opportunities.
- Mainstream Adoption: Rising prices and media coverage around halving events may accelerate the adoption of Bitcoin.
- Regulatory Attention: The increased attention and valuation of Bitcoin around a halving event can draw scrutiny from financial regulators worldwide. This could lead to new,progressive policies affecting how Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are traded and used across different countries.
- Influence on Other Cryptocurrencies: As the oldest and most well-known cryptocurrency, trends for Bitcoin can lead to an increase in investor interest and influence market dynamics for other cryptocurrencies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Bitcoin halving in 2024 is a big deal in the world of cryptocurrencies. People expect prices to go up a lot, and it might lead to more people using Bitcoin and new regulations for cryptocurrencies. Besides, this event may affect not just Bitcoin the cryptocurrency market as a whole. The 2024 halving could start a new phase for cryptocurrencies, showing how important Bitcoin is to the global financial system.
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(This article is generated and published by ET Spotlight team. You can get in touch with them on etspotlight@timesinternet.in)
