With less than 45 days to the next Bitcoin halving, global attention is fixated on Bitcoin’s price movements. The countdown shows only 292 blocks remain before the halving, a period marked by price uncertainty that stirs significant market speculation. What unfolds as we approach this historic moment in Bitcoin?
How Much is a Bitcoin Worth Now?
Historically, Bitcoin’s halving events, which have occurred three times before, are known to trigger major price movements. Looking back at the price actions following past halvings, we observe substantial increases:
- 2012 halving: 9900% increase
- 2016 halving: 2900% increase
- 2020 halving: 700% increase
It’s crucial to remember that these price surges happened within just one year following each halving. This places significant importance on the upcoming 2024 halving. Amidst all this halving frenzy, the recent days have seen a drop in Bitcoin’s price, raising questions.
Today, Bitcoin briefly fell below $60,000 in the evening hours before recovering slightly. As of the time of writing, after a 3.66% drop, it is trading at $61,566.
While Bitcoin’s market cap has receded to $1.2 trillion, indicating a 3.81% fall, the trading volume also saw a decline of 1.29%, dropping to $42 billion.
The decrease in 24-hour trading volume could be interpreted as investors acting cautiously due to uncertainties ahead of the halving, rather than a lack of interest.
What Does the Bitcoin Fear Index Indicate?
The Bitcoin fear and greed index, a crucial gauge among cryptocurrencies, generally reflects investors’ attitudes towards BTC.
Typically, the index rises during periods of price increases, whereas it tends to show higher fear levels during price drops.
As of today, the latest measurement on April 18 shows the index at 57, still indicating greed, though it has decreased from yesterday.
More importantly, the index has significantly retreated from last month’s extreme greed level of 79. The gradual shift towards neutrality and even fear suggests a growing atmosphere of apprehension among investors as the halving approaches, potentially due to fears rather than enthusiasm.