What Makes Crypto Go Up and Down

Knowing how cryptocurrencies are valued and the factors that influence their price moves in the market can be helpful in determining your crypto investing or trading strategies and know how to respond when there are rapid changes in the market. 

So far, in 2022, Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has been on the decline. The crypto was down more than 50% from its all-time highs in November 2021, currently priced at about $29,500. Ethereum, the number one altcoin, is also experiencing its lows. Ethereum is down more than 40% so far this year. There has been slower activity in the crypto market where investors are looking to reduce their crypto exposure. 

But why? Economies worldwide are experiencing high levels of inflation, where the price of goods and services is increasing. In response, central banks globally are tightening their monetary policy and increasing interest rates in some cases. In response, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are reacting similarly to risky assets like high-growth stocks and are dropping in value. Some investors, in turn, are taking a risk-off approach and selling off some of their risky assets, and Bitcoin is in that category. 

How is Bitcoins Price Determined

Here are some factors that can influence the value of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. 

• Supply and demand: The cap of Bitcoin production is 21 million. This means that there will be no more than that amount mined. As a result, Bitcoin is a scarce asset. Since this fixed amount is written into Bitcoin’s code when there is a change in supply and demand, the price of Bitcoin changes. If there is low demand and high supply, the value may go down or stay stagnant. On the other hand, if there is high demand and low supply, Bitcoin’s value increases.
   
• Cost of production: The cost of Bitcoin production involves Bitcoin mining. The cost of mining can get expensive since it requires the constant use of electricity to complete transaction validations to get rewarded. Miners want to make sure it doesn’t get too expensive to mine Bitcoin; otherwise, it could be less profitable. 
   
• Availability on exchanges: The more popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are included in most crypto exchanges. However, if you are looking for a specific token or project that is newer or has a less market cap than the other major cryptos, it might not be available on a crypto exchange. A crypto’s availability on an exchange can impact its value because users on the major crypto exchanges can’t easily access the crypto. There may be less buy-in by market participants. 
   
• Competition: There are thousands of altcoins on the market. While some cryptocurrencies may compete against one another, these different cryptos often have different purposes, functions, and use cases. There are innovative projects that might have similar goals, but their approach and composition may be completely different. 
   
• Inflation of fiat currencies: One of the popular narratives is crypto serving as an inflation hedge. Global economies are struggling with high inflation levels, which is eating at investors’ portfolio returns. As a result, people are looking for different avenues to add more yield and beat inflation. Some cryptocurrencies have been outperforming traditional investments and are seen as alternative ways to make more money in the long term. 
   
• Mass Adoption: Cryptocurrency is slowly gaining adoption as an investment. There are institutional and retail market participants who are observing Bitcoin’s outperformance and want a piece of the pie. There are also some countries that have adopted Bitcoin as legal tender. This means their populations can use Bitcoin as a medium of exchange for goods and services. There are also ongoing conversations governments are having all over the world about how two regulate cryptocurrency. As these scenarios continue to develop, crypto may continue to make its way into the mainstream.

7 Facts on Bitcoins

Bitcoin has been around for just over a decade. That may seem like a while but in the grand scheme of things, the crypto king is still a very new asset. Here are some of the many interesting facts about Bitcoin.

Can the Bitcoin address be traced?
Bitcoin transactions are pseudo-anonymous, meaning that parties participating in Bitcoin transactions will have their personal details hidden, so it's very unlikely that their addresses will be traceable.

​​When was Bitcoin worth $1?
In February 2011, Bitcoin’s value reached $1.

How much was 1 Bitcoin worth when it first came out?
When Bitcoin first started trading on the market, its value was slightly above zero. But over time, it gained market value, reaching its highest level of more than $68,000 in November 2021.

What will Bitcoin be worth in 2030?
No one can predict what the price of Bitcoin will be in the future. Its value is volatile and is changing from day to day.

Is buying small amounts of Bitcoin worth it?
Each individual investor should develop their own crypto investing strategy according to their risk tolerance. Buy the amount of Bitcoin or any other crypto you can afford, and don’t spend beyond your means.

Why Do Bitcoins Have Value?
Bitcoin has value because it can be used as a medium of exchange, it’s a scarce asset, and it’s fungible, divisible, and decentralized.

Who Owns the Most Bitcoin? 
Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, is said to hold the most amount of Bitcoins.