bitcoin (btc) is not only the first cryptocurrency, but also the best known of the more than 19,000 cryptocurrencies in existence today. the financial media enthusiastically covers each new dramatic rise and stomach-churning decline, making bitcoin an inescapable part of the picture.
While wild volatility can produce big headlines, it hardly makes bitcoin the best choice for novice investors or people looking for a stable store of value. understanding the ins and outs can be tricky; let’s take a closer look at how bitcoin works.
Reading: What is bitcoin trading
what is bitcoin?
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that you can buy, sell and trade directly, without a middleman like a bank. Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto originally described the need for “an electronic payment system based on cryptographic evidence rather than trust.”
every bitcoin transaction ever made exists in a public ledger accessible to all, making transactions difficult to reverse and falsify. that’s by design: due to its decentralized nature, bitcoins are not backed by the government or any issuing institution, and there is nothing to guarantee their value other than the proof baked into the heart of the system.
“the reason it’s worth money is simply that we as people decided it has value, just like gold,” says anton mozgovoy, co-founder & CEO of digital financial services company holyheld.
Since its public launch in 2009, the value of bitcoin has increased dramatically. Although it was once sold for less than $150 per coin, as of June 8, 1 BTC is worth around $30,200. Because its supply is limited to 21 million coins, many expect its price to continue to rise as time goes on, especially as larger institutional investors begin to treat it as a kind of digital gold to hedge against volatility. of the market and inflation. there are currently more than 19 million coins in circulation.
how does bitcoin work?
Bitcoin is based on a distributed digital ledger called a blockchain. As its name implies, blockchain is a linked data set, made up of units called blocks that contain information about each transaction, including date and time, total value, buyer and seller, and a unique identification code for each transaction. each exchange. entries are chained in chronological order, creating a digital chain of blocks.
“once a block is added to the blockchain, it can be accessed by anyone who wants to see it, acting as a public ledger of cryptocurrency transactions,” says stacey harris, a consultant for pelicoin, an ATM network of cryptocurrencies.
blockchain is decentralized, which means that it is not controlled by any organization. “It’s like a google document that anyone can work on,” says Buchi Okoro, CEO and co-founder of African cryptocurrency exchange Quidax. “no one owns it, but anyone with a link can contribute to it. and as different people update it, your copy is also updated.”
While the idea that anyone can edit the blockchain may sound risky, it’s actually what makes bitcoin trustworthy and secure. for a transaction block to be added to the bitcoin blockchain, it must be verified by the majority of bitcoin holders, and the unique codes used to recognize users’ wallets and transactions must conform to the correct encryption pattern .
These codes are long, random numbers, making them incredibly difficult to generate fraudulently. the level of statistical randomness in the blockchain verification codes, which are needed for every transaction, greatly reduces the risk that anyone can perform fraudulent bitcoin transactions.
how does bitcoin mining work?
bitcoin mining is the process of adding new transactions to the bitcoin block chain. It is hard work. people who choose to mine bitcoin use proof of work, deploying computers in a race to solve math puzzles that verify transactions.
See also: 9 Exchanges to Buy Crypto & Bitcoin in Hawaii (2022)
To entice miners to keep competing to solve the puzzles and support the system in general, the bitcoin code rewards miners 6.25 btc for each new block. that amount of btc equals almost $190,000.
“this is how new coins are created”, and recent transactions are added to the blockchain, says okoro.
In the beginning, the average person could mine bitcoins, but not anymore. Bitcoin’s code is written to make solving its puzzles more and more challenging over time, requiring more and more computing resources. Today, bitcoin mining requires powerful computers and access to massive amounts of cheap electricity to be successful.
bitcoin mining also pays less than before, making it even more difficult to recoup rising computing and electrical costs.
“Back in 2009, when this technology first came out, every time you received a stamp, you got a much larger amount of bitcoin than today,” says Flori Marquez, co-founder of blockfi, a crypto wealth management company . . “There are more and more transactions [now, so] the amount you get paid for each stamp is getting smaller and smaller.” by 2140, it is estimated that all bitcoins will have entered circulation, meaning that mining will not release new coins, and instead miners will have to rely on transaction fees.
how to use bitcoin
in the usa In the US, people generally use bitcoin as an alternative investment, which helps diversify a portfolio in addition to stocks and bonds. You can also use bitcoin to make purchases, but there are some providers that accept the original crypto.
Large companies that accept bitcoin include microsoft, paypal, and whole foods, to name a few. You may also find that some small local retailers or certain websites accept bitcoin, but you’ll need to do some research.
You can also use a service that allows you to connect a debit card to your crypto account, meaning you can use bitcoin the same way you would use a credit card. this usually also involves a financial provider instantly converting your bitcoin into dollars.
In other countries, especially those with less stable currencies, people sometimes use cryptocurrencies instead of their own currency.
Bitcoin provides an opportunity for people to store value without relying on a government-backed currency. it gives people the option to protect themselves in the worst case scenario. you’re already seeing people in countries like venezuela, argentina, and zimbabwe (heavily indebted countries) where bitcoin is getting huge traction.
when you use bitcoin as a currency, not an investment, in the us. In the US, you must take into account certain tax implications.
how to buy bitcoins
Most people buy bitcoins through cryptocurrency exchanges. exchanges allow you to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrencies. Setting up an account is similar to opening a brokerage account: you’ll need to verify your identity and provide some source of funding, such as a bank account or debit card.
See also: 5 Best Monero Sports Betting Sites (2022)
Major exchanges include Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini. You can also buy bitcoins at an online broker like robinhood.
Regardless of where you buy your bitcoins, you will need a bitcoin wallet to store them. this could be called “hot wallet” or “cold wallet”.
A hot wallet (also called an online wallet) is run by an exchange or cloud provider. Online wallet providers include Exodus, Electrum, and Mycelium. A cold wallet (or mobile wallet) is an offline device that is used to store bitcoins and is not connected to the internet. some mobile wallet options include trezor and ledger.
A few important notes about buying bitcoins: Although bitcoins are expensive, you can buy fractional bitcoins from some providers. You’ll also need to keep an eye out for fees, which are usually small percentages of your crypto transaction amount, but can add up on small purchases. Finally, bitcoin purchases are not instant like many other stock purchases. Since miners must verify bitcoin transactions, it may take at least 10-20 minutes to see your bitcoin purchase in your account.
how to invest in bitcoin
Like a stock, you can buy and hold bitcoin as an investment. even now you can do it in special retirement accounts called bitcoin iras.
No matter where you choose to hold your bitcoin, people’s philosophies on how to invest it vary: some buy and hold for the long term, some buy and intend to sell after a price rally, and others bet its price will decline. The bitcoin price over time has seen huge price swings, from $5,165 to $28,990 in 2020 alone.
“I think in some places, people might be using bitcoin to pay for things, but the truth is that it’s an asset that looks like it’s going to increase in value relatively quickly for some time,” says Marquez. So why would you sell something that will be worth much more next year than it is today? most people who have it are long-term investors.”
Consumers can also invest in a bitcoin mutual fund by buying shares of grayscale bitcoin trust (gbtc). however, the minimum investment requirement is $50,000. this means that most Americans cannot afford it. In Canada, however, diversified investing in bitcoin is becoming more accessible. In February 2021, Purpose Bitcoin ETF (BTCC) began trading as the world’s first Bitcoin ETF, and the Evolution Bitcoin ETF (EBIT) was also approved by the Ontario Securities Commission. US investors seeking exposure to bitcoin or similar may consider blockchain ETFs that invest in cryptocurrency technology.
an important note: while cryptocurrency-based funds can add diversification to cryptocurrency holdings and slightly lower risk, they still carry substantially more risk and charge much higher fees than broad-based index funds with a history of consistent returns. Investors looking to steadily increase their wealth can opt for index-based mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
should you buy bitcoins?
Many financial experts support their customers’ desire to buy cryptocurrencies, but do not recommend them unless customers express an interest. “The biggest concern for us is if someone wants to invest in cryptocurrency and the investment they choose doesn’t do well for them, and suddenly they can’t send their kids to college,” says Ian Harvey, a certified financial planner. (cfp) in new york city. “So it wasn’t worth the risk.”
The speculative nature of cryptocurrencies leads some planners to recommend them for clients’ “secondary” investments. “Some call it a Vegas account,” says Scott Hammel, a CFP in Dallas. “Let’s keep this away from our real long-term perspective. make sure it doesn’t become too big a part of your portfolio.”
Bitcoin is like a single stock, and advisors would not recommend putting a significant portion of your portfolio into a single company. at most planners suggest putting no more than 1% to 10% in bitcoin if you are passionate about it. “If it were a stock, I would never allocate a significant portion of my portfolio to it,” says Hammel.
See also: Top 20+ rent the runway financials best, you should know
