You may have noticed the price of Bitcoin has shot up lately, with investors enjoying some sizeable returns.
With the upcoming halving event on the horizon and the Securities and Exchange Commission finally approving the first Bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds in January, this has seen the world’s largest crypto asset by market cap make some serious gains, jumping by over 50 per cent since the start of the year.
Crypto assets like Bitcoin are known to be particularly volatile, offering the potential to make some big profits – and big losses if you’re not careful! So considering all this volatility, you may be wondering what processes are at play to dictate the value of Bitcoin.
Like stocks and shares, the mechanism by which the price of Bitcoin is set is pretty complex. But fear not, as we’re on hand to explain everything in simple terms so you can get a good understanding of Bitcoin and how its price is determined.
Factors That Drive Price
Before we go into the mechanism and processes that calculate the cost at any given time, first let’s take a look at the multiple factors that influence the price.
Supply And Demand
Supply and demand in Bitcoin is influenced by its fixed supply of 21 million coins and fluctuations in investor interest. Increased demand relative to supply tends to raise prices, while decreased demand or increased supply can lead to price declines.
According to some sources, the current supply-demand ratio for Bitcoin stands at around 1:10, which in part explains why the price has jumped so dramatically over the last few weeks and months.
Market Sentiment
This refers to the overall attitude or feeling of investors towards the asset. Positive sentiment, often driven by news of adoption or technological advancements, tends to drive demand and increase the price. Conversely, negative sentiment can lead to selling pressure which results in the price declining.
Institutional Adoption
If large companies or financial institutions integrate Bitcoin into their investment strategies or operations then this can have a massive impact on the price.
Market Health
This encompasses various indicators of the overall state of the cryptocurrency market. This includes factors such as trading volume and market cap, as well as the presence of fraudulent activities or market manipulation.
Liquidity
This refers to the ease with which Bitcoin can be bought or sold in the market without significantly impacting its price. High liquidity allows for efficient trading and price discovery, reducing the impact that large buy or sell orders have on market prices.
Geopolitical Events
If there are any geopolitical incidents such as regulatory actions or economic crises in key regions, this can have significant impacts on Bitcoin’s price.
Negative geopolitical events, such as government crackdowns on cryptocurrency, can create uncertainty and lead to sell-offs, while positive events may boost investor confidence and attract more investors, thus increasing demand.
Macroeconomic Trends
Trends such as inflation or currency devaluation can influence demand for Bitcoin as a hedge against traditional fiat currencies. Economic instability or uncertainty may drive investors to seek alternative stores of value, potentially increasing demand for Bitcoin and driving up prices.
Technological Advancements
Improvements in scalability, security or usability can all impact its price. Positive developments, such as the implementation of scaling solutions or upgrades to the network’s infrastructure, can also increase confidence in Bitcoin and drive demand, potentially leading to price increases.
Determining Price
So now we’re aware of the various factors that influence the price of Bitcoin, you might be wondering how exactly these are calculated to determine the price.
The precise price of Bitcoin is determined by the interaction of buyers and sellers on the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges.
If you don’t know already, these exchanges provide platforms where users can buy and sell Bitcoin in real time. The price is determined by the most recent transaction between a buyer and a seller, which represents the current market consensus on the price.
On exchanges, buyers place bids indicating the maximum price they’re willing to pay for their Bitcoin, while sellers also offer Bitcoin at specific prices. When a bid matches an ask (seller’s offer), a transaction then occurs and the price at which the transaction takes place becomes the new prevailing price on that particular exchange.
This process is continuous, resulting in the fluctuation of Bitcoin’s price based on market demand and supply dynamics.
Different exchanges may have slightly different prices due to factors such as liquidity, trading volume and geographical location. So there isn’t one definitive “true” price for Bitcoin. due to its decentralised nature and the fact there are multiple cryptocurrency exchanges.
Each of these exchanges operates independently and factors such as liquidity, trading volume and geographical location can influence prices. As a result, prices may vary slightly between exchanges at any given moment.
CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index
The CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index (BPI) calculates the weighted average price of Bitcoin across several major cryptocurrency exchanges. These exchanges include the world’s biggest platforms such as Coinbase, Bitstamp, Kraken and others.
The BPI works by aggregating data from multiple exchanges, taking into account factors such as trading volume and liquidity to provide a representative price for Bitcoin. By calculating a weighted average, this looks to mitigate the impact of outlier prices and provide a more accurate reflection of the overall market sentiment.
The BPI holds significant importance within the cryptocurrency market and is widely regarded as a reference point for Bitcoin’s price. This importance is a result of its trusted methodology, which calculates a weighted average price based on data from several major exchanges.
Due to its reputation for reliability and transparency, the BPI is often viewed as the benchmark price by investors, traders, financial institutions and media outlets.
Spending With A Crypto Card
Are you in search of a quicker and easier way to spend your crypto? Then say hello to the XRPayNet crypto card, which allows you to do just that!
Similar in nature to the credit or debit cards you’re already familiar with, crypto cards allow you to make everyday transactions with your cryptocurrency holdings.
Unlike our regular cards that are linked to our bank accounts, crypto cards are connected to your cryptocurrency wallet. This allows you to use your Bitcoin, Ethereum or other digital currencies for everyday purchases.
One of the main drawbacks of crypto in the past was the slow and inconvenient nature of transactions, as well as the lack of access as many individuals and businesses don’t deal with crypto.
But crypto cards have changed all that, meaning you can now spend your cryptocurrency assets with the swipe of your card. So that means no hassle, no time-consuming processes and no centralised banking system facilitating all of your payments – just a quick, convenient transaction that puts you in control of your own spending and finances.
Crypto cards operate on a simple yet ingenious mechanism that simply converts your chosen cryptocurrency into fiat currency.
As you know after reading this post, some cryptocurrencies may fluctuate wildly. However, your crypto card will use real-time rates to calculate the exact conversion at the point of sale.
This instant crypto conversion allows for simple and seamless transactions, ensuring you get the right value and allowing you to pay for your morning coffee or online purchase just like you would with a conventional card.
So hopefully you now have a good understanding of how the Bitcoin price is determined. As we’ve learned, there isn’t one universal price for this or any other cryptocurrency. Instead, each exchange may have a slightly different price, which is determined by the figure buyers and sellers are prepared to make a deal on.
While there is no universal price with each exchange varying slightly, CoinDesk averages out the prices on the main exchanges, to provide what’s seen as the benchmark price by crypto stakeholders.
If you’re looking for a way to spend your crypto with ease, order your XRPayNet card and take full control of your spending today!