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What is Bitcoin (BTC)?

What is Bitcoin (BTC)?

Created in response to the 2008 global financial crisis, Bitcoin is the world's first decentralized peer-to-peer (P2P) payment network that operates without traditional intermediaries such as central banks or governments. Built on blockchain technology, Bitcoin provides all users with a public, accessible ledger to view secure and fully transparent transactions. Since the concept proposed by Satoshi Nakamoto was officially implemented in 2009, Bitcoin has continued to grow in accessibility and scalability through the widespread rollout of various network upgrades (such as Taproot). At present, it is the largest cryptocurrency in the world by market capitalization.

BTC Tokenomics

Bitcoin's tokenomics is fundamentally different from that of other cryptocurrencies. It is not backed by venture capitalists, nor does it have the concept of a community treasury. Instead, all newly minted Bitcoin is rewarded to individuals or organizations (miners) that successfully mine new blocks.

The maximum total supply of Bitcoin is permanently capped at 21 million coins. Its mining process began with the launch of the Genesis Block in 2009 and will continue until all Bitcoin has been mined. A halving event occurs every 210,000 blocks mined, and the final batch of Bitcoin is expected to be issued in 2142.

Even after that point, while Bitcoin miners will no longer be able to mint new Bitcoin, they will still act as network validators and earn revenue by collecting transaction fees.

Want to learn more about Bitcoin's supply schedule?

Please refer to the chart below for more details.

                       

Why Is Bitcoin So Popular?

In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin is one of the highest-volume non-stablecoin assets. A large number of traders favor Bitcoin for its extremely high market liquidity and comprehensive product lineup, including derivative products such as futures contracts and options. This has sparked intense curiosity among many cryptocurrency beginners and new traders, who want to understand why Bitcoin has gained such widespread recognition and popularity among the enthusiastic community of crypto traders.

One of the core reasons for Bitcoin's widespread popularity is its irreplaceable first-mover advantage. As the pioneer of the digital asset space, Bitcoin was officially launched in 2009, ushering in a new era in the financial sector with the goal of building a brand-new market independent of the traditional financial system.

After more than a decade of development and the test of time, Bitcoin has earned the title of "digital gold" and become a globally recognized store of value, serving as a safe haven for wealth especially during periods of economic instability. This status has been continuously consolidated over time. Particularly in phases of high inflation or economic recession, traders closely monitor Bitcoin's price fluctuations to gauge the overall trend and sentiment of the crypto market.

Key Events Affecting Bitcoin's Price

While Bitcoin's price is influenced by a combination of multiple factors, BlackRock's announcement of filing for a spot Bitcoin ETF is undoubtedly the most monumental and milestone event among them. BlackRock plans to launch an exchange-traded fund (ETF) tradable on traditional securities exchanges, a physically-backed spot Bitcoin ETF. Through this product, retail and institutional investors can indirectly hold a corresponding share of BlackRock's Bitcoin reserves by purchasing shares of the BlackRock spot Bitcoin ETF. In addition to attracting traders interested in cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin may also see incremental inflows from tax-advantaged retirement accounts such as pension funds and 401(k) plans, as holders of these accounts can now allocate to Bitcoin more conveniently.

Beyond the market excitement brought by the spot Bitcoin ETF, numerous other factors have kept Bitcoin's price a hot topic in mainstream media:

Argentina's new president Javier Milei has pledged to abolish the country's central bank and has consistently been an active supporter of cryptocurrencies, sparking widespread market speculation that Argentina may follow in El Salvador's footsteps and adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has introduced a bill aimed at strengthening regulation and oversight of the crypto sector. During the market volatility in 2023, staunch Bitcoin advocate Michael Saylor continued to accumulate Bitcoin through a dollar-cost averaging (DCA) strategy, increasing the total Bitcoin holdings of his firm MicroStrategy to 193,000 BTC.
Interest rate cuts have long been a hot topic of discussion among macroeconomists and those assessing the health of the economy. If the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) continues to implement significant interest rate cuts after 2024, it will significantly reduce borrowing costs and boost market liquidity. This could result in capital originally used to cover borrowing costs flowing into digital assets such as Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Fundamental News Analysis

The Bitcoin halving is a core event that the vast majority of crypto traders follow closely. Occurring every four years, the Bitcoin halving cuts Bitcoin's block mining reward by 50%, serving as a key catalyst for Bitcoin's price movements. The underlying reason is that the halving event marks another slowdown in the rate at which new Bitcoin enters the crypto market, as Bitcoin's circulating supply gradually approaches its hard cap of 21 million coins. Each of the previous three Bitcoin halvings kicked off a crypto bull market, and after this upcoming halving, Bitcoin's block mining reward will be reduced to 3.125 BTC per block.

Bitcoin Price Trend

                       

2023 is referred to by many as the year of recovery for the crypto market, as Bitcoin led the market rebound with an annual gain of 155.57%. Since hitting its June 2023 low, the price of Bitcoin has fully recouped its losses, driven by the full stream of positive news surrounding spot ETFs and bullish macroeconomic sentiment, pushing BTC to trade in a range between $16,502 and $44,726.80 throughout 2023.

While some crypto traders may have been exposed to bearish news recently, market data shows that market sentiment remains elevated, fueled by BTC hitting its all-time high.

Any non-stablecoin cryptocurrency is highly likely to experience high levels of volatility. While it is difficult to accurately predict the price of BTC in the near term, a number of analysts have offered their views on the future direction of Bitcoin.


2024

2025

2030

Coincodex

$ 29,564 - $ 101,528

$ 60,024 - $ 177,384

$ 139,026 - $ 266,977

Coinpedia

$57,027 - $120,000

$61,357 - $140,449

$277,751 - $347,783

AMBCrypto

$45,615 - $68,422

$51,891 - $77,837

$98,862 - $148,293

CoinDCX

$72,000 - $75,000

$78,000 - $78,500

$98,000 - $105,000

Standard Chartered

$100,000

-

-

Changelly

$21,324 - $35,584

$95,388 - $116,344

$623,939 - $744,564


From BTC forecasts and price predictions, we can observe that analysts are indeed optimistic about the future of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Technical Analysis

To further validate Bitcoin price predictions and market sentiment, experienced cryptocurrency traders will apply fundamental technical analysis to formulate trading strategies and infer the future trend of Bitcoin. This usually involves a combination of using various trading indicators and identifying chart patterns. In the following examples, we will apply popular technical analysis tools, such as the Simple Moving Average (SMA) and the Relative Strength Index (RSI).

Simple Moving Average (SMA)

                       


Terms like "Golden Cross" and "Death Cross" are frequently referenced in technical analysis, and traders identify these patterns through the application of the Simple Moving Average (SMA) indicator.

The SMA line, a graphical representation of an asset's average closing price over a specified time period, typically reflects the prevailing trend of the asset, and serves as a convenient tool to determine whether the asset is in an uptrend or a downtrend.

Bitcoin's price action remains bullish, with the spread between the 50-day SMA and 200-day SMA widening further, showing no signs of narrowing to date. With a price target set at $69,000, we may witness a retest of the previous all-time high. Both bullish and bearish cryptocurrency traders will be watching this level closely, to observe whether a breakout will occur, or if the price will once again face rejection at the $69,000 resistance level.

Relative Strength Index (RSI)

                       

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a lagging momentum indicator used to evaluate the recent price changes of an underlying asset and determine whether the asset is currently in an overbought or oversold state.

Within a numerical range of 0 to 100, an RSI reading above 70 typically indicates that the asset is in an overbought state and may experience a corrective pullback in the short term. Conversely, an RSI reading below 30 usually signals that the asset is oversold and may see a short-term rebound due to its undervalued price.

Observing the RSI of Bitcoin on the daily time frame, we find that its current reading is 73.85, showing overbought sentiment. This is understandable to a certain extent, as the price of Bitcoin rises, cryptocurrency traders are optimistic about the upcoming Bitcoin halving event. It is worth noting that during previous cryptocurrency bull markets, Bitcoin's RSI once hit an overbought high of 83.46. This may also be one of the reasons why Bitcoin's price remains firm in this range, as traders who rely on technical analysis may choose to sell to lock in profits after assessing Bitcoin's overbought condition.

Bitcoin Trading Strategy Examples

Completely new to the world of Bitcoin trading? Don't worry, below are some examples of trading strategies that you can refer to when formulating your trading plan.

Day Trading

Day trading is a relatively low-risk trading method in the cryptocurrency space, largely due to the characteristic volatility associated with cryptocurrency trading. This volatility also has a dual impact, providing numerous opportunities for day traders to lock in profits and limit losses, while avoiding the overnight risk of holding Bitcoin.

When conducting Bitcoin day trading, you need to establish a short-term trading strategy. This allows you to enter and exit the market quickly based on signals from technical indicators and trading volume, which will prompt you on whether to execute a buy or sell operation. In addition, implementing strict risk management measures and knowing exactly when to exit a trade is critical, as excessive holding and wishful thinking often lead to unnecessary losses.

Swing Trading

Bitcoin swing trading is a more forgiving active trading approach. This strategy allows cryptocurrency traders to focus on short-term price patterns and execute trades only after confirming the validity of the pattern or trend. While this method may be less effective in markets with a sustained single trend, swing trading demonstrates its effectiveness when Bitcoin's price fluctuates within a defined range.Therefore, swing traders need to remain objective and capitalize on market ups and downs to achieve profits.

Since the holding period of Bitcoin swing trading is longer than that of day trading, traders have the opportunity to set more flexible stop-loss and take-profit points, thus being able to withstand higher risks. In addition, the less frequent operation of swing trading allows traders to observe the overall price trend from a more macro perspective, avoiding the excessive focus on short-term price fluctuations caused by frequent operations in day trading. This strategy reduces emotion-driven trading decisions, promotes more objective trading behavior, and may lead to more stable returns over time.

How to Trade Bitcoin?

Before considering how to trade Bitcoin, it is critical to recognize the risks of blind trading and trading driven by the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). At the same time, it is essential to understand the challenges you will face as a cryptocurrency trader. Bitcoin trading can experience extreme price volatility due to potential flash crashes and sharp rebounds, which can be a test for inexperienced or greedy traders. Despite the associated risks, Bitcoin still has several advantages as an investment asset:

High Liquidity: As one of the most accessible cryptocurrencies currently available, Bitcoin has extremely high market liquidity and can be easily traded on various platforms and exchanges. The launch of Bitcoin ETFs may further enhance its accessibility, which typically means less slippage during trading, allowing for rapid buying and selling without encountering significant price discrepancies.

High Volatility: Assets with stable prices and low volatility are generally difficult to trade profitably. While Bitcoin's extreme price volatility can deter risk-averse traders, it also means opportunities to generate profits for those with proven and validated trading strategies.

Trading Fees: Frequent traders will find that trading fees accumulate over time, especially when trading over-the-counter stocks, where trading penny stocks can incur high transaction costs. In contrast, the widespread adoption of Bitcoin across major exchanges results in lower spreads and trading fees. Leveraging the tiered fee structure based on trading volume, Bitcoin transaction fees can be adjusted according to an individual's trading volume, making it more cost-effective.

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