Bitcoin halving – when, where, why and how?

Although there are still approximately 8 months until it is supposed to happen, the crypto community is already preparing itself for the 2024 Bitcoin halving. It happens every four years, and it draws a whole lot of attention – not only from crypto exchangers, but also from companies and startups that are in the crypto sector.

At Bintense, we want our customers to be well-informed about what goes on in the industry, especially when it comes to such a major event as Bitcoin halving. That’s why we want to dive deeper into the process, so you can understand what it means to you.

What does Bitcoin halving mean?

Bitcoin halving is a special event, since it happens roughly every four years. Imagine you have a chocolate bar, and every day, you can only break it into smaller pieces to give to people. 

But here’s the catch: the number of pieces you can break it into gets cut in half every four years. So, if you started with 8 pieces, after the halving, you’d only be able to break it into 4 pieces, and then 2 pieces, and so on. 

This is similar to how Bitcoin works. It’s like a digital currency, and the halving makes it harder for new Bitcoins to be created. This scarcity is what makes Bitcoin special because there’s a limited supply, like gold. People get really excited about halving because it can affect how people use it, especially when demand goes up, at a time when supply is falling. 

The 2024 Bitcoin halving

When it comes to specifics related to the 2024 Bitcoin halving, you should know that it is scheduled to take place on April 15th. That’s the day when the block reward will be cut in half, from 6.25 right now to 3.125. 

It’s the 4th Bitcoin halving since the blockchain was established. Although the exact time of day can’t be anticipated (due to potential delays), the halving will take place at block number 740,000. 

We would also like to mention that halvings occur once every 210,000 blocks until the maximum supply of 21 million Bitcoins will be generated by the network. Because of this dynamic, Bitcoin is driven by deflation.  Similar to gold, users interested in buying Bitcoin will find it increasingly difficult to find a matching supply, since the reward is lower. 

Benefits of halving

Bitcoin halving offers several notable advantages to the cryptocurrency ecosystem. First, it acts as a built-in mechanism to control the rate of new Bitcoin issuance, ensuring a controlled and predictable supply growth. This controlled supply is pivotal in establishing a sense of scarcity, comparable to precious metals like gold, which can foster a perception of value and trust among users. 

Second, halving events serve as a form of schedule-driven economic stimulus. We at Bintense believe that the reduced creation of new Bitcoins might encourage users to hold onto their existing holdings. This, in turn, can contribute to the stability and resilience of the Bitcoin network by incentivizing user participation and contribution to the decentralized ecosystem.

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Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.

What are the key risks?

1. You could lose all the money you invest.

  • The performance of most crypto assets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in crypto assets.
  • The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any crypto assets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and firm failure.

2. You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. 

  • The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn’t protect this type of investment because it’s not a ‘specified investment’ under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn’t recognised as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker here: https://www.fscs.org.uk/check/investmentprotection-checker
  • The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will not be able to consider complaints related to this firm. Learn more about FOS protection here: https://www.financialombudsman.org.uk/consumers.

3. You may be unable to sell your investment when you want.

  • There is no guarantee that investments in crypto assets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a crypto asset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
  • Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds could cause unwanted delays, and you may be unable to sell your crypto assets when you want.

4. Crypto asset investments can be complex.

  • Investments in crypto assets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment.
  • You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

5. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on anyone to do well.

A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments: https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/5questions-ask-you-invest.

If you want to learn more about protecting yourself, visit the FCA’s website here: https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart.

For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA’s website here: https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/crypto-basics.