• Smart Cash
  • Log in
  • Get Started

Table of Contents

What is Bitcoin halving?

How does Bitcoin halving work?

What happened the last time Bitcoin was halved?

Why is Bitcoin halving important?

What decides when the next halving is?

The bottom line 

LearnBitcoinWhat Is Bitcoin Halving?

What Is Bitcoin Halving?

Jun 21, 2022

·

6 min read

Halving is a process designed to control the supply of Bitcoins. It slows the production rate of new Bitcoins and bolsters the cryptocurrency’s value.

When Satoshi Nakamoto (the pseudonym for a person or group) designed Bitcoin in the late 2000s, the cryptocurrency was imbued with an important property: scarcity. By design, there would never be more than 21 million Bitcoins. It was a hard cap.

Since Bitcoin was launched in 2009, about 19 million of the tokens have gone into circulation. Even so, the remaining 2 million aren’t expected to be minted until the year 2140. The reason it will take so long was baked into Bitcoin’s coding at the beginning.

The trick to ensuring Bitcoin’s longevity and value was to regulate and slow the creation of new coins to a trickle as the 21 million ceiling approached. The mechanism for doing this was something called Bitcoin halving.

What is Bitcoin halving?

Halving is a process designed to control the supply of Bitcoins. It slows the production rate of new Bitcoins and bolsters the cryptocurrency’s value. As the name suggests, halving cuts the production of new Bitcoins by 50%.

The key to halving is managing incentives for the creation of new tokens. Bitcoin miners are at the heart of this crucial feature in the cryptocurrency’s system. They spend enormous sums to amass and maintain computing power, and use it to process transactions and create new tokens. Miners help build blocks of data and record them in a transparent chain comprising every Bitcoin transaction in history. New blocks are added about every 10 minutes. 

As a reward for their efforts, Bitcoin’s underlying software rewards miners with new tokens. The number of tokens they receive is cut in half at key moments in the evolution of the blockchain. The idea is that halving will slow the rate of increase in the supply of tokens and bolster their value. That, in turn, will motivate miners to continue their work until the 21 million threshold is eventually reached.

How does Bitcoin halving work?

Bitcoin’s source code automatically triggers a halving when the required number of blocks have been added to the chain. Back in 2009, miners received 50 Bitcoins for every block they produced. There have been a series of halvings, the first of which happened in 2012. After the last halving on May 11, 2020, miners get 6.25 Bitcoins for every block. In 2024, the reward rate will decline, or halve, to 3.125 Bitcoins and in 12 years the reward will fall below 1 Bitcoin, to 0.78.

When the last new Bitcoin is minted more than a century from now, the program will automatically stop the halving process. 

What happened the last time Bitcoin was halved?

Halving is designed to take advantage of the economic law of supply and demand. When the supply of a product or commodity is cut, and demand stays at least constant, the price invariably rises as buyers scramble to purchase the goods. Just look at the price of gasoline when there’s a squeeze in the oil supply due to a geopolitical crisis.

The same forces are at work in the Bitcoin market. When halving cuts the rate of increase in the supply of new tokens while demand rises, the token’s value soars. In the runup to the halving in May 2020, for instance, Bitcoin was trading between $8,000 and $9,000. By the end of the year it was worth almost $30,000.

The halving dovetailed with a surge in demand for cryptocurrencies after the Covid-19 pandemic spurred governments in North America and Europe to address the economic crisis by distributing an unprecedented level of stimulus payments to households and companies. Many recipients of this largesse invested in Bitcoin, especially younger investors drawn to the novelty of crypto. Past halvings also preceded surges in Bitcoin’s price.

Why is Bitcoin halving important?

The U.S. dollar is supervised by the Federal Reserve. Other central banks around the world do the same with their respective sovereign currencies. Bitcoin was conceived to be a global currency that doesn’t need supervision. It’s decentralized.

Still, halving demonstrates there is a modicum of control in Bitcoin, even if it was programmed into its code long ago. Halving is a form of currency management. In other words, it’s a rare instance of Bitcoin’s creator(s) exercising management of the money supply, which isn’t all that different from a central bank adjusting how many dollars, euros, or yen are in circulation.

With halving, Bitcoin’s architects have come up with a way to lengthen the time it will take to hit the supply ceiling. That’s important because in adding supply, even in diminishing amounts, it deepens and broadens the market. It’s similar to when a publicly traded company sells additional shares—the move raises capital and makes the stock more accessible to investors. Likewise, when central banks increase or cut the money supply, it changes the dynamics of the currency and the economy where it circulates.

The catch is that if miners receive fewer Bitcoins for their labors, they may not want to continue their operations. Mining would no longer be worth the expense. So it’s crucial that the value of Bitcoin rises after halving to keep miners motivated. They have to continue to want to mine Bitcoin and collect rewards that are smaller in number but worth much more. This balance between supply and demand is critical in making sure new Bitcoin will be steadily minted in a controlled manner.

What decides when the next halving is?

The halving process was programmed into the Bitcoin system and occurs automatically when 210,000 blocks of data have been added to the distributed ledger known as the blockchain, which is a network of thousands of computers around the world. That happens about every four years. Some cryptocurrency data providers maintain a Bitcoin halving clock.

Unlike Ethereum and other blockchain-based networks, Bitcoin’s programming is difficult to modify or change. The blockchain itself is immutable, meaning it can’t be altered unless someone mounted what is known as a 51% attack and took over a majority of the computers managing the system—which might be theoretically possible, but not practically feasible.

Today there is little chance an entity could marshall enough computers to mount a 51% attack. As fewer new Bitcoins are produced with every halving, the number of miners processing data for the blockchain and making new tokens may fall to a level where such a hack is possible. If that happens, Bitcoin’s security may become vulnerable, which could trigger a decline in value.

The bottom line 

Halving is an innovation that goes right to the heart of the Bitcoin proposition. As a piece of software coding it’s a way to manage the supply of newly minted Bitcoin so it doesn’t overwhelm demand and devalue the token. At the same time, halving makes sure miners will remain motivated to continue going to the trouble and expense of processing Bitcoin transactions, creating new tokens, and building the blockchain’s decentralized ledger. 

It may be ironic that Bitcoin halving mimics the behavior of the traditional central banks the decentralized cryptocurrency is supposed to replace. By managing its money supply, albeit with software instead of central bank policy makers, Bitcoin is supposed to ensure that the laws of supply and demand will support its sustainability and not work against it.

At Titan, we are value investors: we aim to manage our portfolios with a steady focus on fundamentals and an eye on massive long-term growth potential. Investing with Titan is easy, transparent, and effective.

Get started today.

Disclosures

Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, Titan has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation. In addition, this content may include third-party advertisements; Titan has not reviewed such advertisements and does not endorse any advertising content contained therein.

This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any strategy managed by Titan. Any investments referred to, or described are not representative of all investments in strategies managed by Titan, and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results.

Charts and graphs provided within are for informational purposes solely and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others. Please see Titan’s Legal Page for additional important information.

Three Things, a newsletter from Titan

Stay informed on the most impactful business and financial news with analysis from our team.

You might also like

Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto? Exploring the Mystery Behind the Bitcoin’s Founder

Given the mystery around Nakamoto’s identity, people have speculated about who is behind the name. Some claims are more outlandish, while others are based on research.

Read More

How to Earn Bitcoin

While investors can buy Bitcoin or swap other cryptos into Bitcoin, there are also ways to earn a lot of Bitcoin, but they tend to require a larger up-front investment.

Read More

How to Store Bitcoin Safely

When someone buys Bitcoin, they’re linking the funds to a crypto wallet. Keeping the wallet secure is vital to storing Bitcoin safely and protecting the investment.

Read More

What Is Bitcoin Mining and How Does It Work?

Bitcoin mining is the process of using computer power to mint unique digital tokens that can be transmitted across the internet and used as currency to buy goods.

Read More

Cash Management

Smart Cash

Smart Cash FAQs

Cash Options

Get Smart Cash

InstagramTwitterYoutubeLinkedIn

© Copyright 2023 Titan Global Capital Management USA LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Titan Global Capital Management USA LLC ("Titan") is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). By using this website, you accept and agree to Titan’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Titan’s investment advisory services are available only to residents of the United States in jurisdictions where Titan is registered. Nothing on this website should be considered an offer, solicitation of an offer, or advice to buy or sell securities or investment products. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any historical returns, expected returns, or probability projections are hypothetical in nature and may not reflect actual future performance. Account holdings and other information provided are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered investment recommendations. The content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a comprehensive description of Titan’s investment advisory services.

Please refer to Titan's Program Brochure for important additional information. Certain investments are not suitable for all investors. Before investing, you should consider your investment objectives and any fees charged by Titan. The rate of return on investments can vary widely over time, especially for long term investments. Investment losses are possible, including the potential loss of all amounts invested, including principal. Brokerage services are provided to Titan Clients by Titan Global Technologies LLC and Apex Clearing Corporation, both registered broker-dealers and members of FINRA/SIPC. For more information, visit our disclosures page. You may check the background of these firms by visiting FINRA's BrokerCheck.

Various Registered Investment Company products (“Third Party Funds”) offered by third party fund families and investment companies are made available on the platform. Some of these Third Party Funds are offered through Titan Global Technologies LLC. Other Third Party Funds are offered to advisory clients by Titan. Before investing in such Third Party Funds you should consult the specific supplemental information available for each product. Please refer to Titan's Program Brochure for important additional information. Certain Third Party Funds that are available on Titan’s platform are interval funds. Investments in interval funds are highly speculative and subject to a lack of liquidity that is generally available in other types of investments. Actual investment return and principal value is likely to fluctuate and may depreciate in value when redeemed. Liquidity and distributions are not guaranteed, and are subject to availability at the discretion of the Third Party Fund.

The cash sweep program is made available in coordination with Apex Clearing Corporation through Titan Global Technologies LLC. Please visit www.titan.com/legal for applicable terms and conditions and important disclosures.

Cryptocurrency advisory services are provided by Titan. Cryptocurrency trading is provided by Bakkt Crypto Solutions LLC ("Bakkt Crypto"). Bakkt Crypto is not a registered broker-dealer or a member of SIPC or FINRA. Cryptocurrencies are not securities and are not FDIC or SIPC insured. Bakkt Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Cryptocurrency execution services are provided by Bakkt Crypto (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Bakkt Crypto and Titan. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading: bakkt.com/disclosures.

Information provided by Titan Support is for informational and general educational purposes only and is not investment or financial advice.

Contact Titan at support@titan.com. 508 LaGuardia Place NY, NY 10012.