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Bitcoins in 2020 was a wild ride. The year started with a bang, with the price of Bitcoin surging to an all-time high of $42,000 in January.
This significant increase was largely driven by institutional investors, who began to take notice of Bitcoin's potential as a store of value. In fact, the first Bitcoin futures ETF was launched in October, allowing investors to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency through traditional financial instruments.
The price of Bitcoin remained volatile throughout the year, with significant fluctuations in value. In March, the price plummeted to around $3,500 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only to recover and reach new heights in the following months.
2009-2015
Between 2009 and 2015, the Bitcoin network experienced significant growth.
The first block reward halving occurred in 2012, reducing the block reward from 50 to 25 BTC.
This event had a minimal impact on the price, but it did lead to a slight increase in mining difficulty.
In 2013, the price of Bitcoin rose to $266, a 50% increase from the previous year.
As a result, more people became interested in investing in Bitcoin.
The number of Bitcoin exchanges grew from 6 in 2010 to over 100 in 2013.
This expansion made it easier for people to buy and sell Bitcoins.
The Silk Road, an online black market, was shut down in 2013, but not before it had become a significant player in the Bitcoin market.
The Silk Road's closure led to a 25% drop in the price of Bitcoin.
In 2014, the price of Bitcoin dropped to $300, a 50% decrease from the previous year.
This decline was largely due to the loss of confidence in the market following the Silk Road's closure.
The number of Bitcoin ATMs increased from 100 in 2012 to over 1,000 in 2015.
This expansion made it easier for people to purchase Bitcoins in person.
Market Analysis
Blockchain analysis for markets is just getting started, revealing insights into cryptocurrency use cases and trading patterns. This emerging field is expected to become even more sophisticated as cryptocurrency gains popularity and investors become more advanced.
The price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies depends on perceived value, supply, and demand. If people believe in the value of Bitcoin, they'll buy it, especially if they think its value will increase.
Only 21 million Bitcoins will ever be created, and the closer it gets to its limit, the higher its price should be, assuming all other factors remain the same. This limit is intended to increase the value of Bitcoin over time as new coins become more scarce.
2016
In 2016, Bitcoin's price slowly climbed to over $900 by the end of the year.
This marked a significant increase from previous years, setting the stage for even bigger price movements in the future.
The price of Bitcoin hovered around $1,000 in 2017, but then broke $2,000 in mid-May, showing that even small price movements can add up over time.
This price surge caught the attention of mainstream investors, governments, economists, and scientists, who began to take notice of the cryptocurrency market.
Bitcoin's price continued to rise, closing at $19,188 on December 16, 2017, a staggering increase from the end of 2016.
This price action was a clear signal that Bitcoin was gaining traction and becoming a force to be reckoned with in the financial world.
Supply and Demand
Supply and Demand plays a crucial role in determining the price of Bitcoin. The perceived value of Bitcoin, supply, and demand all contribute to its price fluctuations.
Only 21 million Bitcoins will ever be created, and as it gets closer to this limit, its price should theoretically increase. This scarcity is designed to keep increasing the value of Bitcoin over time.
Bitcoin's price should continue to rise as long as it grows in popularity and its supply can't meet demand. However, if popularity wanes and demand falls, there will be more supply than demand, causing the price to drop.
The rate at which new Bitcoins are created slows down every four years, with the last halving occurring on April 19, 2024. This could lead to a price increase if the market reacts similarly to past events.
A significant portion of Bitcoin is held for long-term investment, with roughly 60% of it being held by entities that have never sold more than 25% of their Bitcoin. This suggests that many people view Bitcoin as a digital gold, an asset to be held for the long term.
Here's a breakdown of how Bitcoin is typically held:
The 3.5 million Bitcoins used for trading supplies the market and determines the price, in interaction with the level of demand. As more people look to trade Bitcoin, it could become a crucial source of liquidity, especially if its price rises to a level at which long-term investors are willing to sell.
BTC Market Cap
The BTC Market Cap is a crucial metric to understand the overall value of the bitcoin market. It's calculated by multiplying the number of bitcoins in circulation with its current value.
The value of all bitcoin on the market combined is a staggering number, one that can fluctuate rapidly with changes in market conditions.
To give you a better idea, let's take a look at how the BTC Market Cap is calculated. It's a simple multiplication of the number of bitcoins in circulation with its current value.
Blockchain Analysis for Markets
Blockchain analysis for markets is just getting started. It can tell us a lot about cryptocurrency use cases, the state of the cryptocurrency market, businesses, and trading patterns.
As cryptocurrency continues to gain popularity, more funds flow in, and investors get more sophisticated, we can expect to see innovative new applications of blockchain data for market intelligence.
Chainalysis Chief Economist Philip Gradwell recently shared his insights on the Flippening Podcast, offering a deeper dive into the findings of blockchain analysis for markets.
Price and Trading
Bitcoin's price can fluctuate wildly, and 2020 was no exception. The lowest price of the year was €5.409,86 on March 18th.
In fact, the price dropped to this low point after reaching a high of €22.383,99 on December 31st. This shows just how volatile the market can be.
Here's a look at the highest and lowest prices for each year since 2019:
This gives you a sense of just how much the price can vary from year to year.
24 Hours Change
In the world of cryptocurrency, the value of your investments can fluctuate rapidly. This is especially true for Bitcoin, which can see significant changes in its value over the course of 24 hours.
The 24-hour change in Bitcoin's value is a critical metric for traders and investors. It gives you a clear picture of how much the value has increased or decreased in a short period of time.
For example, if you're keeping an eye on the market, you might see that Bitcoin's value has increased by a substantial amount over the past 24 hours. This could be a great opportunity to sell your Bitcoin and lock in some profits.
On the other hand, if the 24-hour change shows a significant decrease in value, you might want to consider holding off on any trades until the market stabilizes.
24 Hours Volume
The 24 Hours Volume is a key metric that gives us an idea of the amount of bitcoin transactions happening in a day. It's a reflection of the market's activity and can be influenced by various factors such as global events, trading volumes, and investor sentiment.
According to our data, the 24 Hours Volume can be significant, with transactions reaching into the millions of euros. For instance, in 2023, the 24 Hours Volume was substantial, with a notable increase in activity.
Here's a breakdown of the 24 Hours Volume for the past few years:
Unfortunately, the article section does not provide specific numbers for the 24 Hours Volume for all years. However, it does mention that only public exchanges are taken into account when calculating this metric.
Market Dynamics
Blockchain analysis is a rapidly evolving field that's shedding light on cryptocurrency use cases, market trends, and trading patterns. It's still in its early stages, but we can expect to see innovative new applications of this data as the market continues to grow.
Cryptocurrency is gaining popularity, and with it, more funds are flowing into the market. This influx of capital is attracting more sophisticated investors who are looking for ways to make informed decisions.
Blockchain analysis can tell us a lot about businesses and trading patterns, providing valuable insights for market intelligence.
What Affects Price?
The price of a product can be influenced by various factors, including supply and demand. This is evident in the case of the smartphone market, where a shortage of quality components can lead to higher prices due to limited supply.
Seasonal demand also plays a significant role in determining prices. For instance, during the holiday season, prices for certain products may increase due to high demand.
Economic conditions, such as inflation, can also impact prices. In an economy experiencing high inflation, businesses may raise their prices to keep up with the increasing cost of production and materials.
Government policies and regulations can also affect prices. For example, a tax on a particular product can increase its price, making it less competitive in the market.
The availability of substitutes can also influence prices. If a product has a readily available substitute, consumers may be less likely to pay a premium price for it.
Will it Stabilise?
The cryptocurrency market is still in its early stages, with a total market value of roughly 120 billion dollars, which is a mere splash in the ocean compared to other financial markets.
This small market size is a major contributor to the volatility we see in the price of bitcoin, which is characterized by substantial fluctuations. The total market value of bitcoin alone is approximately 60 billion dollars.
The market value of Apple, a single company, is five times as much, at over 600 billion dollars, giving you an idea of just how small the cryptocurrency market is. This small market size makes it prone to significant price movements from relatively small amounts of money.
Comparing the cryptomarket to the entire stock market is a useful way to understand its volatility. The green blocks representing the crypto market are a tiny fraction of the blue blocks representing the entire stock market.
Retail vs Institutional Trading
Retail traders make up the large majority of Bitcoin traders, accounting for 96% of all transfers sent to exchanges on an average weekly basis.
These retail traders typically deposit less than $10,000 USD worth of Bitcoin on exchanges at a time, making them a significant force in the market.
In contrast, professional traders control the liquidity of the market, accounting for 85% of all the USD value of Bitcoin sent to exchanges.
Professional traders move a lot of value, but they are relatively few in number, with only 39,000 transfers per week on average in 2020.
This means that while retail traders may make up the majority of traders, professional traders have a disproportionate impact on market movements.
Professional traders were instrumental in large market movements, such as Bitcoin's dramatic price decline in March as the Covid-19 crisis intensified in North America.
Sources
- https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-brutal-truth-about-bitcoin/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/forex/121815/bitcoins-price-history.asp
- https://btcdirect.eu/en-eu/bitcoin-price
- https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/bitcoin-market-data-exchanges-trading/
- https://www.comparitech.com/crypto/bitcoin-price-history/
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