How many of the 21 million bitcoins are left?
Bitcoin's design includes a finite supply cap of 21 million coins, a defining feature that underpins its value proposition as a deflationary asset. As of the current mining phase, approximately 18.8 million Bitcoins have been mined and are in circulation, leaving around 2.2 million Bitcoins left to be mined.
By 2140, 21 million Bitcoins will be mined, enhancing the network's scarcity and value. Miners' Bitcoin rewards decrease after every 210,000 blocks mined in an event called the Bitcoin halving and by 2140, miners will rely solely on transaction fees.
The number of Bitcoins will never reach the 21 million BTC cap. Instead, the supply will continue to approach the limit before completely halting at a block height of 6,930,000 around the year 2140.
The supply of bitcoins is replenished at a set rate of one block every ten minutes. The system design reduces the number of new bitcoins in each block by half every four years. There are only about 2 million bitcoins left. Experts predict that the last bitcoins will be mined by 2140.
Bitcoin was designed with a fixed supply cap of 21 million coins. This scarcity is intentional, echoing the scarcity of precious metals like gold and designed to prevent inflation by ensuring that the supply cannot be increased at will.
As of March 2023, the top 1% of Bitcoin addresses hold over 90% of the total Bitcoin supply, according to Bitinfocharts.
After all 21 million bitcoin are mined, which is estimated to occur around the year 2140, the network will no longer produce new bitcoin. The block subsidy will go to zero but miners will continue to receive transaction fees, which will make up an ever greater portion of the block reward.
Year | Minimum Price | Average Price |
---|---|---|
2032 | $1,849,974.98 | $1,903,411.64 |
2033 | $2,617,109.26 | $2,712,279.74 |
2040 | $3,932,805.68 | $4,204,033.55 |
2050 | $5,126,208.33 | $5,533,050.64 |
In 2026, we see Bitcoin trading as high as $90,000 by the end of the year. By 2030, we predict that Bitcoin could reach a high of $160,000. Other crypto analysts suggest even higher price targets ranging from $427,000 to $1.5 million per Bitcoin.
Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, is believed to own the most bitcoins, with estimates suggesting over 1 million BTC mined in the early days of the network.
Why did Satoshi choose 21 million?
21 million was an educated guess
“I wanted to pick something that would make prices similar to existing currencies, but without knowing the future, that's very hard. I ended up picking something in the middle,” Nakamoto said.
No additional bitcoins will be generated when the Bitcoin supply reaches its upper limit. Bitcoin miners will likely earn income only from transaction fees.
Bitcoin halvings will occur every 210,000 blocks until around 2140, when all 21 million coins will have been mined.
The Bitcoin hard cap is the maximum number of bitcoin that can ever be created, which is set at 21 million BTC. Bitcoin's supply limit, known as the hard cap, is a key feature of Bitcoin's monetary policy, designed to create scarcity and prevent inflation.
To mine one Bitcoin, the cost at 10 cents per kWh is approximately $11,000, and at 4.7 cents per kWh, it's around $5,170.
As early as 2022, she made headlines for claiming that Bitcoin had what it takes to reach more than $1 million by 2030. However, now she is reconsidering her timeline and believes that the cryptocurrency will hit the seven-figure mark before 2030.
One Million Individual Wallets Now Hold a Whole Bitcoin (BTC)
Holding a million bitcoins places Nakamoto's net worth at approximately $51.56 billion. Furthermore, were Nakamoto to be ranked on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list, the creator of Bitcoin would stand as the 26th richest individual globally.
Prominent figures associated with substantial cryptocurrency wealth include individuals such as Changpeng Zhao (founder of Binance), Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (founders of Gemini), and Chris Larsen (co-founder of Ripple). Their fortunes are tied to successful ventures in the crypto space.
If mining stops, no new transactions can be confirmed. This would effectively halt all Bitcoin transactions. Security Concerns: Mining is not just about creating new coins; it's also crucial for maintaining the network's security. Miners validate and secure transactions, preventing double-spending.
Will all Bitcoin's ever be mined?
Only 21 million bitcoins can ever be mined — but projections say the last won't be mined until around 2140. A major constraint on how many bitcoins there are is the block reward halving process — and a halving event is expected in April 2024.
Approximately every four years, the Bitcoin mining reward, also known as the "block reward," is halved.
A reasonable assumption that Bitcoin could hypothetically reach the null state of it's value is worth the thought. Even-though such an event is very less likely to take place, there are some factors that could theoretically lead to Bitcoin price crashing to zero.
Assuming a constant monthly investment of $500 for 10 years and a bitcoin price of $1 million per coin at the end, you would earn a profit of approximately $4.8 million.
According to CoinPriceForecast, Bitcoin price will hit $90000 by the end of 2026. Bitcoin will rise to $100000 within the year of 2028, $120000 in 2029, $140000 in 2030, $150000 in 2031, and $200000 in 2035.
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