What Are Bitcoins Backed by?
Is cryptocurrency backed by anything? The rate of the main cryptocurrency for the first decade since its inception has increased by thousands of percent. The main question that many people ask is whether Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are backed and why their capitalization has increased in previous years. Understanding these processes is important for market traders and investors, since the profitability and safety of investments depend on the price dynamics of Bitcoin. Let us explore this matter deeply.
Not everyone understands the value of Bitcoin or other crypto assets. However, Bitcoin has seriously affected the global markets. A product acquires its price if people are willing to pay for it. Suppliers accept any fiat currency, as they understand that other things or services can be obtained for this money. The same thing happens with Bitcoin.
Is Bitcoin Backed by Gold?
Banking metals (gold and silver) have intrinsic value. Unlike them, conventional currencies are not backed by anything, which is why they are called fiat currencies. The issue of money is regulated by the state, which sometimes leads to inflation (depreciation). The shortage of coins and investor demand have turned the main cryptocurrency into an attractive asset.
Ethereum has more use cases than Bitcoin, but this does not guarantee a future increase in its price. Cryptocurrencies are considered speculative assets. It is difficult to make predictions about how the coin rate will change in the future.
Bitcoin dominance is the ratio of the total value of Bitcoins to the capitalization of other cryptocurrencies. This indicator tells how the value of altcoins increases or decreases in relation to BTC.The index rises if other coins lose value compared to bitcoins.
Bitcoin dominance decreases when the price of altcoins increases relative to the main crypto asset. This index is used by traders and analysts to understand the situation in the digital money market. When choosing between BTC and altcoins, users evaluate the prospects for growth in the value of the asset and learn the risks of an outflow of investments in other projects.
How is Bitcoin backed? Is Bitcoin backed by gold? Unlike traditional currencies, the value of Bitcoin is backed by investors’ confidence in the blockchain on which it is built. Bitcoin is used as a unit of account and has the characteristics of money. However, unlike fiat currency, Bitcoin is not backed by gold: its value is based on mathematical calculations. Bitcoin is tied to a growing user base, investors, merchants, and startup owners. Like any other cryptocurrency, the value of Bitcoin comes from people and companies willing to accept it as payment.
Coin supply plays an important role in shaping the market rate. The more scarce a crypto asset is, the more valuable it can be. Bitcoin supply has a limit of 21 million coins. This asset is considered deflationary (when the supply of units gradually decreases). Mining is the process of verifying blocks of transactions and issuing new Bitcoins. Since May 2020, Bitcoin has been rewarding users who confirm transactions at the rate of 6.25 coins per generated block. The payment is halved approximately every four years. Therefore, even an increase in demand will not lead to an increase in the supply of Bitcoins or the rate of issuance of coins.
What Else Does Determine Bitcoin’s Value?
What is backing Bitcoin, besides some consensus? The value of Bitcoin is also determined by its blockchain. Bitcoin does not have a central authority that could regulate the issuance of coins and their circulation. No bank or government influences the processes within the network.
The Bitcoin economy is based on the classical model. One of the key drivers of the BTC rate is the relationship between supply and demand. The market price decreases when buyers' interest decreases. At this time, sellers cash out their investments by transferring them to other assets. If demand increases, because of the limited supply, Bitcoin quotes rise.
Volatility is the change in the price of an asset. Exchange rate instability creates opportunities for profit. For example, price changes in cryptocurrencies allow traders to buy digital assets low and sell high. Volatility occurs when the price of a coin rises or falls rapidly over a short period of time.
The total price of BTCs in circulation and the number of companies accepting BTC as a medium of exchange are still small. Therefore, any large transactions with Bitcoin or increased activity on the network can significantly affect volatility.
Mass adoption depends on how much cryptocurrencies are used by a wide audience. For example, as aregular payment method at various outlets or online shopping sites. The distribution of digital assets is the main goal of many blockchain companies. Market experts believe that the widespread acceptance of Bitcoin as the main payment method is only a matter of time.
What Factors Are Affecting Bitcoin Price?
There are several aspects that determine the Bitcoin market rate:
BTC supply and fixed supply. The rate at which new coins enter the market is limited. Bitcoin only enters circulation when miners process transactions on the blockchain. The bitcoin algorithm allows mining one block every 10 minutes.
The number of buyers of Bitcoins determines the demand in the market. When users start actively investing in BTC, prices rise. The media influences people's decision making. Demand for Bitcoin grows if the media promotes it. This allows more people to learn about cryptocurrencies by giving them the idea to buy.
Inflation is a situation where commodity prices rise and the value of a currency falls. In this case, the demand for Bitcoins increases. This is because BTC and many other coins are not subject to inflation.
Legalization of cryptocurrencies by the state. Confidence among the people will increase if the laws allow you to buy coins without any restrictions. Then investors will start investing more money in digital assets.
Instability of the economy, causing an increase in demand for Bitcoins. Citizens try to keep their savings by buying independent assets.
Competition between different cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is based on popularity among investors, but it is not the only coin on the market. Cryptocurrencies are vying to grab the attention of users. When competition is high, prices fall. In this scenario, Bitcoin has leverage over other cryptocurrencies due to its long history and investor acceptance.
BTC mining costs. Of all the costs, energy consumption is the most important. The higher the cost of electricity, the lower the income of miners. In addition, Bitcoin mining is a competition in which the winner receives a new block and a fee for its creation. When a large number of miners enter the fight, the profitability decreases.
Availability on the exchanges. Cryptocurrencies have their own platforms for trading. The popularity of the exchange is determined by the number of participants. More users – wider popularity of the site. Therefore, the more accessible the platform is, the higher will be the demand for the coins that are traded on it.
What Are Possible Risks Associated With Bitcoin?
Many large companies invest in Bitcoin, but the main cryptocurrency remains an insecure asset for the following reasons:
Restrictions and rules. Bitcoin, like other digital assets, has risen in value significantly in recent years. Regulators have stepped up restrictions on transactions with the main digital coin.This worsens the mood of large investors, since Bitcoin’s future depends on the status of the cryptocurrency and the decisions of regulators and governments.
Control stability and forks. Changes in the Bitcoin blockchain are made by miners and developers, since there is no central authority in this network. The users themselves ensure the execution of transactions and the protection of the blockchain from threats. Due to misunderstandings within the community, hard forks (chain splits that give rise to new cryptocurrency projects) can occur. During such periods, the market becomes very volatile.
Manipulation by speculators and large investors. Trades made by large coin holders can lead to changes in the price of Bitcoin, stifling any movement by small investors.
Despite its shortcomings, Bitcoin is still the driving force behind the digital market. Although the Bitcoins are not technically “backed”, it has caused world economic changes. The adoption of digital money by the masses opens the door to financial transformation and gives people more control over their assets. Price volatility and government bans are factors hindering the adoption of digital currencies.
Crypto asset trading is still banned in some countries as it encourages criminal activity. Tokens and coins still have a long way to go before being accepted by the masses. Nevertheless, the world is constantly working to make digital assets available to the general public.
