The story is generally considered to have started in 2008. A mysterious person (or group of people) named Satoshi Nakamoto first proposed the concept of Bitcoin in a paper titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”. This paper by Satoshi Nakamoto was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples. He envisioned a decentralized electronic payment system based on cryptography principles, aiming to solve the trust problem in the traditional financial system.
The emergence of Bitcoin means that people can make secure and anonymous transactions without relying on any centralized institution. Bitcoin is decentralized, which means it is not controlled by governments or financial institutions. Transactions are verified by a network of nodes and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain. When you own it, you have your own bank, with no restrictions on fund transactions.
Bitcoin: An incredible journey from obscurity to legalization
El Salvador is the first country in the world to use Bitcoin as legal tender, passing a bill in 2021 to allow Bitcoin to circulate as legal tender alongside the U.S. dollar. The Central African Republic became the second country to legalize Bitcoin in 2022, allowing it to be used as legal tender.
In the United States, some state governments have allowed taxpayers to pay taxes using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, increasing payment options and showing support for cryptocurrency technology. The German government has even recognized cryptocurrencies as a legal means of payment, and taxpayers can use them freely. As a representative of blockchain technology, Bitcoin has gone from a mysterious concept to a popular concept, and has begun to be used to pay taxes in some countries. This not only challenges traditional monetary concepts, but also heralds new developments in the global tax system. Compared with traditional bank transfers, using cryptocurrencies to pay taxes can save time and costs.
Bolian Assets CEO Mr. Kevin said: With the increasing maturity of the cryptocurrency market and the gradual improvement of regulatory policies, it has gradually been accepted by countries around the world, and more and more countries have begun to explore the possibility of incorporating cryptocurrency into the tax system. These countries include economically developed countries such as the United States, Germany, and Japan, as well as some developing countries that are open to new technologies. Bitcoin will play a greater role and value in more areas, contributing to the development and prosperity of the global economy.
Bitcoin’s history: From obscurity to attention
The first bull run: Bitcoin’s first bull run can be traced back to early 2011. At that time, the price of Bitcoin began to climb from an almost negligible level, and by the end of 2013, it had broken through the $1,000 mark. This stage of the bull run was mainly affected by the gradual recognition and acceptance of Bitcoin by the market, and investors began to realize the potential of Bitcoin as a new type of asset. In addition, the participation of some early adopters and speculators also drove up prices.
The second bull market: from the end of 2016 to the end of 2017, after a few years of silence, Bitcoin ushered in a bull market again in late 2016. This time, the price of Bitcoin quickly climbed from a few hundred dollars to nearly 20,000 dollars at the end of 2017. The driving factors of this round of bull market are more complex, including the market’s further recognition of Bitcoin blockchain technology, as well as factors such as the easing of global monetary policies and geopolitical tensions. In addition, the participation of some mainstream financial institutions and large enterprises also provided impetus for the rise in Bitcoin prices.
The third bull market: From mid-2020 to the end of 2021, the third bull market of Bitcoin occurred from mid-2020 to the end of 2021. This time, the price of Bitcoin soared from a few thousand dollars, and finally reached a historical peak at the end of 2021, approaching $69,000. There are multiple factors behind this round of bull market. On the one hand, the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of digital transformation, causing more people to pay attention to and invest in digital currencies. On the other hand, the large-scale entry of institutional investors, the clarification of digital monetary policies by governments of various countries, and the expectation of the Bitcoin halving event have jointly promoted the rise in Bitcoin prices.
The fourth bull market: It happened right now. The price of Bitcoin broke through the previous historical high in just half a month and approached $100,000! There are important factors behind this round of bull market. Bitcoin is “halved” every four years, and 2024 ushered in the third halving. Halving means that the reward for miners to mine new blocks is halved, reducing the supply of Bitcoin, which is often regarded as a bullish signal because the reduction in supply may push up prices.
In the first few years after the birth of Bitcoin, it did not immediately attract widespread attention. Due to its complex technical background and extremely high entry barriers, early participants were mostly technology geeks and cryptocurrency enthusiasts. But as time went on, Bitcoin gradually showed its unique value potential. In particular, on May 22, 2010, a programmer exchanged 10,000 Bitcoins for two pizzas. This event was regarded as the “first real transaction” in the history of Bitcoin, and also gave Bitcoin a real price.
After this incident, May 22nd of each year is called Bitcoin Pizza Day to commemorate the milestone event on May 22, 2010. According to the current price of Bitcoin, 10,000 Bitcoins are worth 1 billion US dollars. This may be the most expensive lunch in the world.
Bitcoin future opportunities and risk control
Bolian Assets CEO Mr. Kevin said that the future development trend of Bitcoin may continue to unfold in multiple directions. As digital gold, it may continue to consolidate its position as a value storage and hedging tool; gradually expand its practical application and market acceptance in payment applications, technological innovation, DeFi, global supervision, etc. However, Bitcoin still faces many challenges in the future, including market volatility, regulatory pressure, technical issues and environmental issues.
Mr. Kevin said that in the conventional trading market, the price of Bitcoin is known for its extreme volatility and unpredictability. Since its birth, the price of Bitcoin has experienced many ups and downs, which has brought huge profit opportunities to investors, but also accompanied by extremely high risks. The sharp fluctuations in prices may cause investors to face huge asset losses in a short period of time.
This price volatility is not only due to basic factors such as market sentiment and supply and demand, but may also be affected by external factors such as the macroeconomic environment and geopolitical situation. Therefore, when investors participate in Bitcoin transactions, they must have a strong sense of risk and risk tolerance.
In actual operations, investors should focus on combining a mature mentality with rich experience. On the one hand, they should improve their trading skills and experience through continuous learning and practice; on the other hand, they should always remain calm and rational and not be disturbed by short-term market fluctuations.
Conclusion
The trading market is a field full of challenges and opportunities. To survive in this market, investors must have a mature trading mentality and rich trading experience. A mature mentality can help investors stay calm and rational in the turbulent waves of the market; while rich experience can provide investors with a sharp tool to cope with market changes. Only by combining the two can we move forward steadily in the trading market and achieve continuous growth of wealth.
