Who is controlling Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is controlled by all Bitcoin users around the world. Developers are improving the software but they can't force a change in the rules of the Bitcoin protocol because all users are free to choose what software they use.
Like all forms of currency, Bitcoin is given value by its users, supply, and demand. As long as it maintains the attributes associated with money and there is demand for it, it will remain a means of exchange, a store of value, and another way for investors to speculate, regardless of its monetary value.
Who Owns the Most Bitcoins? Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, is believed to own the most bitcoins, with estimates suggesting over 1 million BTC mined in the early days of the network.
Bitcoin is not controlled by any single group or person. Instead, it is governed by multiple stakeholders — including developers, miners, and users. Developers write the code that makes Bitcoin run; miners validate transactions; and users put the software to work by trading, transacting, holding, and more.
So, who are the top holders of BTC? According to the Bitcoin research and analysis firm River Intelligence, Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator behind Bitcoin, is listed as the top BTC holder as of 2024. The company notes that Satoshi Nakamoto holds about 1.1m BTC tokens in about 22,000 different addresses.
A reasonable assumption that Bitcoin could hypothetically reach the null state of it's value is worth the thought. Even-though such an event is very less likely to take place, there are some factors that could theoretically lead to Bitcoin price crashing to zero.
The Securities and Exchange Commission regulates assets it determines to be securities. It doesn't yet regulate Bitcoin, but it is regulating investments or derivatives related to Bitcoin.
However, some estimates can be made based on blockchain data and surveys of Bitcoin holders. According to data from Bitinfocharts, as of March 2023, there are approximately 827,000 addresses that hold 1 bitcoin or more, representing around 4.5% of all addresses on the Bitcoin network.
How Does Bitcoin Make Money? Miners on the Bitcoin network can be rewarded by successfully opening blocks. Bitcoins are exchangeable for fiat currency via cryptocurrency exchanges. Investors and speculators can make money from trading bitcoins.
As of March 2024, bitcoin was legal in the U.S., Japan, the U.K., and most other developed countries. In general, it is necessary to look at laws in specific countries. In the U.S., the IRS considers bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies property, issuing appropriate tax treatment guidelines for taxpayers.
Is Bitcoin in the Bible?
In terms of what the Bible says about it, obviously there aren't any specific scriptures about cryptocurrency.
| Denominations | |
|---|---|
| Implementation(s) | Bitcoin Core |
| Initial release | 0.1.0 / 9 January 2009 |
| Latest release | 25.1 / 19 October 2023 |
| Code repository | github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin |
Nakamoto owns between 750,000 and 1,100,000 Bitcoin. In November 2021, when Bitcoin reached a value of over $68,000, his net worth would have been up to $73 billion, making him the 15th-richest person in the world at the time.
How Many Bitcoins Have Been Mined as of the First-Half 2022? The majority of bitcoins have already been mined. As of June 2022, 19.07 million bitcoins were mined, leaving only 1.93 million left to be mined.
Wallet address data compiled by BitInfoCharts found that the top holders of bitcoin were addresses linked to the Binance (BNB) and BitFinex crypto exchanges. A Binance wallet was the single richest address, with 248,597 BTC worth more than $7.3bn and representing almost 1.3% of the circulating BTC supply.
A $100 investment in Bitcoin could purchase 0.00607 BTC today based on a price of $16,466.14 at the time of writing. If Bitcoin hits the $1 million price target by Wood in 2030, the $100 investment would turn into $6,070. This represents a gain of 5,970% from now until 2030.
Bitcoin, it found, is likely to hit an average peak price of $87,875 in 2024, with some experts predicting it will climb as high as $200,000. On the flip side, the average lowest price Bitcoin could hit by the end of 2024, is seen as $35,734, the report said, with some predicting it will fall as low as $20,000.
For that reason, while current market conditions are favorable for anyone considering buying Bitcoin, it is an asset you should purchase only at your own risk. Because while Bitcoin may have the potential for significant returns, you may also lose most of your investment.
'Bitcoin will be increasingly important'
Bitcoin will be increasingly important as means of payment and an alternative asset, there is no doubt about that, but it is unlikely to displace the US dollar as the world's reserve currency.
Will digital currency replace cash?
Central bank digital currencies (CBDC) can replace physical money, especially in economies where cash deployment is costly, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva said during a Wednesday speech.
Bitcoin the Cryptocurrency
In 2024, the majority of bitcoins are still out in the wild, so to speak—but over time, and if they continue to be treated as a speculative investment and store of value, these large entities will likely keep growing their holdings.
There are 88,200 crypto millionaires worldwide. 40,500 of these millionaires have amassed their fortune in Bitcoin (BTC). The number of global crypto owners reached 580 million by the end of 2023, according to Crypto.com.
Simple math shows that the average bitcoin holding per person is about 262,500 satoshis. At $69,000 per bitcoin, that works out to an investment of about $180 to reach the global average bitcoin allocation. So don't be discouraged by the price of a single bitcoin.
In 2020, the number of wallets – defined as a set of blockchain addresses controlled by a single entity – holding at least 1,000 bitcoins has increased by 302 (17%) and is now at a record high of 2,052, according to Philip Gradwell, economist at Chainalysis.
