Why is bitcoin rising

Whatever Bitcoin’s eventual fate, its blockchain technology is truly ingenious and groundbreaking. Bitcoin has shown how programs running on networks of computers can be harnessed to securely conduct payments, within and between countries, without relying on avaricious financial institutions that charge high fees. For migrant workers sending remittances back to their home countries, for instance, such fees are a major burden. Technologies that make payments cheaper, quicker and easier to track would benefit consumers and businesses, facilitating both domestic and international commerce. How much will one Bitcoin be worth in 2030? However, recent weeks have seen bitcoin retrace its steps. We think the main reason for this is a deteriorating macro backdrop. The labour market remains very tight. Inflation remains way above target (April CPI showed little progress on disinflation, with core goods rising 0.6% due to a 4.4% increase in used care prices). And Fed Chair Jerome Powell recently said ‘‘the process of getting inflation back down to 2 percent has a long way to go.’

Digital assets have partially rebounded in 2023 from last year’s steep selloff but remain well off their all-time highs. For example, Bitcoin is up 55% since the start of the year to $25,700, still more than $40,000 below its 2021 record. Final Thoughts On the supply side, Bitcoin is a unique asset in that its new supply schedule is absolutely inelastic; it is completely immune to fluctuations in demand. When most goods, including fiat currency and gold, experience a rise in demand, producers react by increasing production and returning prices to an equilibrium. When demand for bitcoin rises, thanks to the difficulty adjustment, production of new bitcoin does not rise.