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Bitcoin as a New Form of Currency

Bitcoin is a form of digital cryptocurrency created in 2009. Since then, it has become increasingly popular and is now the world's largest cryptocurrency.

Are cryptocurrencies the future of money? As technology changes, so do the definition of money. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that cryptocurrencies may be considered money soon. But digital currencies have a long way to go before governments can officially consider their cryptocurrencies. Governments are doubtful to use cryptocurrencies as legal tender due to their high unpredictability and unknown impact on economic markets. 

History

Bitcoin was invented in 2008. It is not known who specifically made this invention. However, an anonymous computer programmer or maybe a group of programmers named Santoshi Nakamoto brought Bitcoin into the market. Within one year, in 2009, Bitcoin was implemented. Within no time, it has seen tremendous growth, whether it is an online market or offline market.  

How Bitcoin Works

How is Bitcoin mined? 

Bitcoin mining is the process of creating new Bitcoins by solving challenging problems that verify currency transactions. When service support of transactions is successfully maintained, miners receive a pre-set amount of Bitcoins according to the work they have provided.

These Bitcoins are saved in the “digital wallet”, which can be used for further transactions. You can also send them to other people. 

Interest in mining Bitcoins has increased in recent years as the price of cryptocurrencies significantly increased. However, many people do not like Bitcoin mining because of its complex nature and the high costs involved to mine them. 

Future of Cryptocurrencies

Over the years, it has been observed that cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin, have a high degree of volatility and composition. This volatility is determined mainly by the decisions of the U.S. financial regulators regarding the use of Bitcoin. 

However, the future of Bitcoin can be summed up as follows:

  • As Bitcoin grows in popularity, Bitcoin users predict that almost 94% of all different types of Bitcoin will be released by 2024

  • The popularity of this form of currency is expected to grow exponentially as it is decentralized, secure and anonymous.

  •  The fact that a large number of tech-savvy people and companies support the decision to use different forms of cryptocurrencies clearly shows that the future is bright for Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies in general.

How is the Value of a Bitcoin Determined?

  • The value of Bitcoin is estimated by different factors and systems. In some cases, institutions, companies or the market may agree that the cryptocurrency will reach a certain value within two years. 

  • Other institutions/companies/markets may disagree with this estimate and propose alternatives.

  • For example, many investors believe that Bitcoin is now at its peak and the price will fall short. Many investors believe that Bitcoin has reached its peak and will instead start to rise shortly. The result of all these estimates is what drives the value of cryptocurrencies.

  • Bitcoin is also valued according to its supply and demand. The more people want to buy, sell or mine it, the more valuable it becomes. 

  • The fewer people want to mine it, the less valuable it is. This is true of any product in the global market.

  • The cryptocurrency market is not a physical market in the real world. This is a virtual market where all transactions are done using mathematical formulas, numbers and algorithms. 

  • In other words, no one person, company, or institution can control the price of cryptocurrencies. It is controlled by algorithms and mathematics. So no one can control their price because it is controlled by these algorithms.

  • Cryptocurrencies are traded in different ways through different types of exchanges. Some popular exchanges include Bitfinex, Coinbase, and Poloniex. 

  • Cryptocurrencies are influenced by various factors that determine their price. Some factors are the market supply and demand of cryptocurrencies and their characteristics, and how they are traded.

Advantages of Bitcoin

  • High returns

  • Free from payment fraud

  • Easy international transactions

  • Greater Liquidity

Disadvantages of Bitcoin

  • Highly Volatile

  • Cyber hacking

  • No refund

Conclusion

The value of a cryptocurrency will determine its future utility. Bitcoin solves several problems regarding finances and transactions, and as such, it dominates the crypto market by a large amount. Other tokens like Shiba and Inu don’t have much practical purpose in the real world, and as a result, their value among investors is slowly declining compared to other cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP are some of the most popular cryptocurrencies in modern times. Investing in cryptocurrencies is entirely dependent on the investor’s ability to handle losses and market volatility. If investors are looking for something less volatile, then they should choose stable coins.

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Why are cryptocurrencies so popular?

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