The Bitcoin price and value broke $11000 on February 20 for the first time since January 29, with a current price of $11454. Many experts believe that Bitcoin could be starting to bounce back, but the future of this coin and cryptocurrencies, in general, is anything but certain.
The last few months have been a rollercoaster for Bitcoin price and value, with cryptocurrencies across the board seeing a massive crash after record highs near the end of December. Bitcoin was the subject of a lot of attention near the end of 2017, reaching a value close to $20000 only to crash massively in the beginning of 2018. With a Bitcoin price and value of less than $6000 just weeks after that meteoric rise, many who had jumped on the Bitcoin train for the first time were disappointed to see their investment ruined with such a gigantic loss in value.
However, those who have been investing in cryptocurrency for any period of time know that the Bitcoin price and value is incredibly volatile, and has seen massive spikes and drops over the course of its short life. In just a few years, Bitcoin has risen from a niche investment for techies to one of the biggest phenomenons in the investment industry. With a market cap in the hundreds of billions, the influence of cryptocurrency is impossible to ignore. However, while the majority of investments have some volatility, the Bitcoin price and value has been all over the place when compared to more traditional financial investments such as stocks.
While stocks are tied to the performance of a company, Bitcoin price and value is largely determined by speculation. As such, rumors and new regulations can have a massive effect on the price we’re seeing – even on a day-to-day basis. As such, it’s not really possible to give an accurate long-term view of the currency. We’ve seen a massive climb in Bitcoin price and value since the beginning of last year – even with the massive drop after December’s high – but it’s difficult to determine whether the cryptocurrency will continue to become more valuable, or whether recent regulations and rumors spell the end for the most famous of these new forms of investment.
Many experts believe that Bitcoin will bounce back, but whether it will surpass – or even come close – to December’s near $20000 valuation remains to be seen. While the Bitcoin price and value has been all over the map since its launch, we’ve generally seen an upward trajectory. It would be reasonable to expect that this trajectory would continue, but there have been some troubling developments in terms of rumors and government regulation that could make it more difficult for the value to spike back.
Although the Bitcoin price and value has been incredibly volatile, it has seen great success largely due to the ease of access and anonymity regarding financial transactions. However, the influence of cryptocurrency is undeniable, and the financial industry and governments alike are starting to worry about the impact the world of crypto may be having on both the investment community and the financial health of the average consumer.
China is a huge market for most any sort of technology, and Bitcoin is no exception. However, recently leaked documents suggest that the government doesn’t look too kindly on the cryptocurrency industry within the country, with a possible tax hike on Bitcoin mining operations within the country’s borders. This spells major trouble for the number of Bitcoin organizations that call the country home due to the low cost of utilities, and may cause an impact on Bitcoin price and value. That news is in addition to the shuttering of one of China’s major cryptocurrency exchange, as well as a ban on Initial Coin offerings.
Israel has also expressed their distaste for Bitcoin, stating that the volatility of the currency is a major problem for the country’s investors. The government has stated their interest in possibly suspending cryptocurrency activity within the country pending an investigation from financial regulators. While Israel may not be the biggest crypto market, if more countries were to follow suit we may start to see the Bitcoin price and value continue to dive. South Korean regulators have also caused problems for the currency in the market that generally sees the highest cryptocurrency values, removing the anonymity regarding transactions due to security concerns.
While it’s certainly possible that the Bitcoin price and value will continue to bounce back, the political landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies is currently looking rather bleak. The power of these new currencies is unprecedented, however, so there’s a chance that the Bitcoin price and value will spike once again despite these barriers. It’s important to keep in mind when investing that any Bitcoin high will likely be accompanied by a low, so while the current landscape shows the price rebounding, there’s certainly no guarantee that that trend will continue.
