On March 3rd, according to CoinDesk, Bitcoin is reaching a historic milestone—the 20 millionth Bitcoin is about to be mined. Currently, 19,996,979 Bitcoins have been mined, just about 3,000 short of the total cap of 21 million, and it is expected to reach this in approximately 7 days. This means over 95% of Bitcoin’s supply is already in circulation, with the remaining 1 million Bitcoins expected to be gradually mined over the next 114 years.
Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, hardcoded the maximum supply to 21 million coins, ensuring transparency and immutability of the supply cap. This makes Bitcoin a “hard currency” completely different from fiat currencies. The fixed cap not only enhances its scarcity but also serves as a key pillar of Bitcoin’s value proposition. Any proposals to modify the supply limit are strongly opposed by the community.
The issuance rate of Bitcoin is controlled by the halving mechanism, which reduces the mining reward by half every four years, gradually lowering inflation to below 1%. Currently, about 450 Bitcoins are mined daily. By January 2035, approximately 99% of the total supply will have been mined, with the last Bitcoin expected to be mined around 2105. The issuance of scattered Bitcoins will continue until 2140.
This milestone is also significant for miners. As new Bitcoin supply decreases, miners will increasingly rely on transaction fees rather than block rewards for income. This marks a long-term shift in Bitcoin’s economic model and presents new challenges for network security.
Bitcoin’s scarcity is similar to gold and oil, but its issuance speed cannot be accelerated, and it is transparent and predictable. As the 20 millionth Bitcoin approaches, this scarcity will be further emphasized, providing an important reference for long-term investors and the digital asset market.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Bitcoin spikes to $72k but then shows a “fake bull”? With the ceasefire agreement layered on top and options expiring, undercurrents are roiling in the market
After the U.S. and Iran reached a ceasefire agreement, Bitcoin quickly rebounded to $72,000, indicating how sensitive the market is to macro events. However, derivatives market data shows that this rally was mainly driven by easing hedging sentiment rather than new inflows, and that implied volatility in the options market has fallen, suggesting that near-term risks are being released. The next few days will be critical: a large amount of Bitcoin and Ethereum options are expected to expire, which could influence the direction of the market.
GateNews33m ago
Hyperliquid platform’s combined oil trading volume today exceeds all BTC and other perpetual contracts
Gate News updates—On April 8, according to monitoring by @mlmabc, on the Hyperliquid platform, assets in the combined oil (Combined oil) category have today’s trading volume exceed that of all other perpetual contract products on the platform, including BTC.
GateNews46m ago
Cardano bets $80 million to unlock Bitcoin liquidity: Can the $3 billion DeFi target for 2030 be met?
Cardano launches the Orion Fund in 2026, releasing 50 million ADA and shifting to an investment-driven expansion strategy. The fund size is $80 million, with the goal of activating Bitcoin liquidity, and the overall ecosystem expansion relies on the DeFi sector. At the same time, Cardano’s on-chain TVL target is $3 billion; stablecoin liquidity and real demand are key challenges.
GateNews56m ago
A whale opened a 40x-leverage BTC short position, with a position size of $14.3 million.
Gate News message. On April 8, according to monitoring by Hyperinsight, a whale starting with 0xec4, after taking profit on long positions, opened a BTC short position within the past 1 hour using 40x leverage. The average price was $71,638, with a size of 200 BTC, approximately $14.3 million. The liquidation price was $76,013.
GateNews1h ago
MetaPlanet CEO: The number of the company’s Japanese shareholders has surpassed 250k.
Gate News: On April 8, Bitcoin Treasury Company MetaPlanet CEO Simon Gerovich announced that the number of the company’s Japanese shareholders has surpassed 250,000, making it one of the stocks with the highest holdings in Japan.
GateNews1h ago
