BITCOIN: “Halving”

BITCOIN MINER HALVING

By Staff Reporters

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DEFINITION: After the network mines 210,000 blocks—roughly every four years—the block chain reward given to Bitcoin miners for processing transactions is cut in half. This event is called halving because it cuts the rate at which new bitcoins are released into circulation in half. This rewards system will continue until about 2140, when the proposed limit of 21 million coins is reached. At that point, miners will be rewarded with fees for processing transactions, which network users will pay. These fees ensure miners are still incentivized to participate and keep the network going.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

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And, so, the total value of the world’s most popular cryptocurrency surpassed $1 trillion yesterday for the first time since 2021. The overall crypto market, meanwhile, broke $2 trillion in market cap, fueled by investor confidence. If crypto were a publicly traded company, it would be the fourth-largest in the world behind Microsoft, Apple, and Saudi Aramco.

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HALVING – The quadrennial event, expected to take place today or tomorrow, was built into bitcoin’s original code to cut the amount of new coins going into circulation in half every four years. The purpose is to thwart inflation and increase the currency’s value. Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, designed the crypto so that only 21 million bitcoins would ever exist. It will take about a century to hit that number, but as it approaches the cutoff, the crypto hose slowly constricts. No one’s sure what happens next

Historically, halvings have coincided with big jumps in price—the coin’s first halving in 2012 saw the price jump from $12.35 to $127 within five months, according to Time. But critics argue that the narrative around halving is much stronger than the actual event. Even bitcoin experts aren’t sure what will happen with the volatile asset. It already hit a record high of over $73,750 in March, thanks to the spot bitcoin ETF approval. And, lest we forget, the whole FTX thing happened since the last halving.

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Understanding Crypto Currencies & Bitcoins

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Understanding Risks and Benefits

By Timothy J. McIntosh CFP® MPH CFA CMP®

TMMedical professionals might not know rupees from ringgits, but any investor should consider the benefits of currency investing.  Buying currencies allow for a hedge against the U.S. dollar and also permit for an investor to take advantage of major movements of foreign currencies for profit.

Today, it is easier than ever to invest in currencies through mutual funds or exchange traded funds.  U.S. investors are impacted by foreign currency fluctuations through international stock and bond exposure.

Advantages

The advantage of investing in currencies is the investment generally has limited correlation with other real or liquid assets.  Medical professionals can initiate the process of currency investing by starting a forex account.  In many instances, an account can be opened with minimal investment.

Taxation

One caveat is the tax consequences, as currency-based profits are taxed as ordinary income rather than the more favorable capital gains rate.

Digital Currency

Bitcoin is an open sourcepeer-to-peer payment network and digital currency pioneered in 2009 by pseudonymous developer “Satoshi Nakamoto“. Bitcoin has been called a cryptocurrency because it utilizes public-key cryptography for protection. Users send payments by broadcasting digitally signed messages that reassign ownership of bitcoins. A decentralized network of specialized computers verifies and timestamps all transactions using a proof-of-work system. The operators of these computers, known as “miners“, are satisfied with transaction fees and newly minted bitcoins.

Commercial Use

The commercial use of Bitcoin, illicit or otherwise, is currently diminutive compared to its use by speculators, which has led to extreme price volatility.  Companies and merchants have an enticement to recognize the currency because transaction fees are lower than the 2 to 3% classically imposed by the major credit card companies like Visa®.

Bitcoin Graph

Assessment

Given the fact that Bitcoin is a new currency with extreme volatility, medical professionals should be very cautious with any potential investment.

UPDATE: 2017

Conclusion

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