Is 2024 the last Bitcoin halving?
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We are halfway through the four year Bitcoin halving cycle, as the fourth time mining rewards will be halved approaches in 2024, we examine how it will affect Bitcoin.
2 min read Updated: April 22, 2022 at 7:26 pm Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate Online debate around the upcoming Bitcoin (BTC) halving event is heating up. Those discussing it are delighted that the cryptocurrency community only has approximately two years before this event, leaving many outsiders asking what it is and why it is so crucial. According to CoinMetrics‘ ‘State of the Network’ email newsletter dated April 19, Bitcoin is reaching its fourth halving event, or the fourth protocol-designed 50% drop in block rewards that occurs every 210,000 blocks, or about every four years. The next halving event is expected to occur around May 4, 2024, when Bitcoin hits 840,000 blocks. Because there are 744 days until this happens, we are halfway between the third and fourth halving occurrences. Halving events are significant because they diminish the incentives given to miners for mining Bitcoin, which involves verifying new transactions and putting new currencies into circulation. What will take place on May 4, 2024?In the current era, which follows the third halving event on May 11, 2020, the miner receives a fee of 6.25 BTC for each Bitcoin block mined. Taking the daily average of 144 blocks indicates that around 900 BTC is now issued and awarded every day. The fourth halving event will ‘halve’ this reward and lower it to 3.125 BTC every block. If the daily average of blocks remains the same, roughly 450 BTC will be released in rewards every day. What effect will the fourth halving event have?After the 19 millionth Bitcoin block, ‘730002,’ was mined on April 1, it became evident that just 2 million BTC remain out of the 21 million Bitcoin limit. Reduced supply usually leads to increased demand, which implies that prices may rise. In the past, Bitcoin halving events have been followed by gradual and significant price rises over time, culminating within one and a half years. If the same thing happens with the next one, Bitcoin investors will be pleased. In just 13 years, Bitcoin (BTC 0.02%) went from trading for just a few pennies to nearly $69,000 at the peak. Even though the world's original cryptocurrency is only worth about $21,000 today, many are optimistic that Bitcoin will rebound. These hopeful price predictions use varying methods and different reasoning for their estimates. For this evaluation of Bitcoin's future price, we will focus on the patterns between halving events and use the year 2024 as the deadline, since that is when the next Bitcoin halving should occur. Halving events are what helps make Bitcoin so unique. Bitcoin's code is programmed to ensure that the growth in supply falls with time. Since Bitcoin's code is open source, we can do a little math and find out that Bitcoin's block reward is cut in half every 210,000 blocks -- or roughly every four years. The halving events serve as an easy marker to track the progression of Bitcoin's price. Bitcoin analysts refer to the time between each halving as a cycle. Bitcoin's first halving was in November 2012 and dropped the block reward from 50 Bitcoins to 25. The second was in the summer of 2016. And the most recent was in May 2020, resulting in the reward being cut from 12.5 to 6.25 Bitcoins. A little data exploration never hurtWhen looking at the data between halvings, a few things become evident. First, the price at each halving is roughly 55% less than the all-time high from the previous cycle. Before Bitcoin's first halving, the price topped out near $34 in June 2011. By the time of the November 2012 halving, Bitcoin was worth just about $12 -- a drop of just over 60%. At the 2016 halving, Bitcoin was worth around $650. This was about a 45% decrease from Bitcoin's previous all-time high of around $1,200 in November 2013. A similar situation occurred at the halving in May 2020. Back then, Bitcoin was worth about $8,800 -- nearly 65% less than the December 2017 all-time high. When averaging those decreases, we discover that on average, Bitcoin's price is about 55% less than the previous all-time high when the halving occurs. The next halving is set to take place about May 2024. Simple math can help us arrive at a possible price that Bitcoin will reach by then. In the current cycle Bitcoin peaked at almost $69,000 in November 2021 -- based on past behavior, Bitcoin's price should be about 55% less than that. This implies a price of about $30,000 if past patterns continue at the time of the next halving. Another insight we can gather from data is that the amount Bitcoin increases in between each halving diminishes from the previous cycle. Bitcoin was trading at about $11 at the time of the first halving in November 2012. It then peaked in December 2013 to about $1,100 -- an increase of almost 10,000%. From the next halving in July 2016, Bitcoin's price rose from around $650 to a new high in December 2017 of just under $20,000 -- almost a 3,000% gain. From the most recent halving in May 2020, when it was trading for about $9,000 to the all-time high of just under $69,000 in November 2021, Bitcoin increased about 670%. It becomes further evident that Bitcoin's returns diminish with each halving cycle that passes. But how much will the price increase after the next halving? On average, Bitcoin returns about 25% less with each new cycle. Subtracting a quarter from the previous 670% return, we arrive at about a 500% increase. A gain of this size from our speculative $30,000 price in May 2024 price would imply a new all-time high of almost $150,000. The bigger pictureWe could speculate on Bitcoin's price until the last Bitcoin is mined sometime after 2100. Regardless of what the actual price becomes, there is one clear trend that has held true: Those who hold Bitcoin longer are rewarded with better returns as each halving passes. Investors who bought Bitcoin after the May 2020 halving likely haven't seen great returns. To maximize potential returns, the data show us that Bitcoin should be held for at least one halving. Although recent weakness in Bitcoin caused every portfolio to take a hit, current prices should be viewed as an opportunity to increase exposure before the next halving in May 2024. RJ Fulton has positions in Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Will Bitcoin halve in 2024?In each Bitcoin halving, the reward for mining a new block on the Bitcoin blockchain falls by one-half. Today, for example, Bitcoin miners receive 6.25 bitcoins every time they successfully mine a new block. When the next Bitcoin halving occurs in March 2024, the size of the reward will fall to 3.125 bitcoins.
Will Bitcoin go up 2024?Based on the technical analysis by cryptocurrency experts regarding the prices of Bitcoin, in 2024, BTC is expected to have the following minimum and maximum prices: about $36,815.00 and $44,261.73, respectively. The average expected trading cost is $38,113.79.
How many Bitcoin will there be in 2024?In the 2024 halving, the reward will drop from 6.25 BTC per block to 3.125 BTC.
What year is the next Bitcoin halving expected?The next Bitcoin halving is scheduled to take place at block 840,000 which is predicted to be on Jun 08, 2024 08:37:10 PM UTC. At the Bitcoin halving 2024, the Bitcoin block reward is scheduled to drop from 6.25 Bitcoin per block to 3.125 Bitcoin per block.
Is Bitcoin halving every 4 years?After every 210,000 blocks mined, or roughly every four years, the block reward given to Bitcoin miners for processing transactions is cut in half. This event is referred to as halving because it cuts in half the rate at which new bitcoins are released into circulation.
Will Bitcoin be around in 2040?No more Bitcoins can be mined after 21 million have been generated. According to current trends, the last whole Bitcoin will be mined in the 2040s, but fractions of coins will still be awarded. As soon as all Bitcoins are mined, the value of the cryptocurrency will depend solely on supply and demand.
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