Bitcoin (BTC) is celebrating its 16th anniversary this week. Bitcoin’s first block, known as the “Genesis Block,” was mined on January 3, 2009, by its pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto. He introduced the first 50 BTCs into circulation. Since then, over 877,000 blocks have been mined.

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However, the network's mining difficulty has reached a new all-time high of 109.78 trillion hashes.

The difficulty surge indicates that the computational effort required to mine Bitcoin has increased significantly. This ensures greater security for the network. Bitcoin’s mining process, known as hashing, involves powerful machines processing data to add new blocks to the blockchain, a record of transactions. 

Also read: Fed's rate cut sparks inflation concerns, market selloff

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Next halving event

With Bitcoin’s next halving event in 2028, miners will also see their rewards for mining new blocks reduced by half. This deflationary mechanism ensures a controlled supply of Bitcoin, contributing to its scarcity and long-term value. 

The rise in mining difficulty aligns with Bitcoin’s ongoing evolution, contributing to the integrity and security of the cryptocurrency. 

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Also read: North Korean cyber actors behind $308 million cryptocurrency heist, say US and Japan

Price action

Bitcoin achieved a new all-time high (ATH) by surpassing the $100,000 mark in the second half of last year. On December 4, 2024, Bitcoin's price reached a peak of $103,619 by the end of the day, according to market data from various exchanges.