Showing posts with label Inflation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inflation. Show all posts

Monday, July 5, 2021

The Relationship Between Bitcoin and Inflation

One attribute that has actually made cryptocurrencies-- specifically Bitcoin-- so appealing to people is the idea that it's more immune to inflation than fiat money like the dollar.

What is causing the increase in prices for goods and services? 

Inflation is the process whereby currencies decline, in time, causing prices of durable goods to increase. Since most financial experts think that some degree of inflation is good for our economic life, the government, for example, has actually printed more money than we need. It's the reason that a gallon of milk that set you back a dollar a half-century ago is four dollars today.

On the other hand, Bitcoin has normally increased in worth much faster than the U.S. dollar has actually declined-- going from practically useless in 2009 to greater than $65,000 in mid-2021. 

Because it's an unstable market, Bitcoin has actually likewise seen remarkable spikes and also declines, however the trendline with time has actually been upward. This has actually made Bitcoin a significantly preferred hedge against fiat-currency inflation.

Bitcoin was designed to resist inflation, its supply is limited and known, and also, the creation of new bitcoin will certainly lessen with time in the foreseeable future means. There will only ever be 21 million bitcoin, as well as every 4 years, the amount of bitcoin that is extracted is reduced by fifty percent.




Why is the rising cost of living important for crypto?


Bitcoin, as well as specific various other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, hand investors a choice. A high inflation price for fiat money might incentivize individuals to invest more in digital money because the dollar, or any other countries money you put in a savings account, is actually losing value over time. 

 The business economics of the Bitcoin market is complicated, yet there are functions designed from the start to help it resist the rising cost of living.

Bitcoin can't be manipulated by federal governments readjusting interest rates or printing even more money to accomplish policy objectives.

Like gold and various other limited stores of value, the conventional wisdom around Bitcoin is that it increases in value in unsure times. This has actually not constantly held true, however-- at the start of the COVID pandemic as an example, it dropped greatly together with the stock exchange. It's also a much more convenient store of value than gold.

Scarcity is one way of making a store of value resistant to the rising cost of living. There will certainly never ever be greater than 21 million bitcoin. There is no end to the printing of fiat money or the mining of gold.

As of now, approximately 19 million bitcoin have actually been mined. Every ten minutes, miners process a brand-new "block" and also 6.25 bitcoin are included in the network. 



In 2024, the mining reward will drop to 3.125 bitcoin and will certainly decline by fifty percent once again every 4 years until all bitcoin are extracted. This function, which is baked right into the Bitcoin protocol, is referred to as "the halving".

This scheduled shrinking of brand-new supply in time makes Bitcoin predictable in unique ways. Unlike gold, no brand-new bitcoin can ever before be "uncovered.".

Do cryptocurrencies experience inflation?


Yes, technically, even Bitcoin experiences a rising cost of living as more of it is mined (as does gold). But because the quantity of brand-new bitcoin is instantly lowered by half every four years, Bitcoin's rising inflation price will certainly also be reduced over time.

As long as Bitcoin's purchasing power continues to rise vs. fiat money we often tend to contrast it to, Bitcoin's few-percent yearly inflation price isn't a major problem for holders to think about.

Yet, not all cryptocurrencies are made like Bitcoin. For example, an increasingly prominent classification of digital money called stablecoins, tied to fiat money like the dollar, can be a useful, low-volatility area to save some cash. 

But if a stablecoin is secured to fiat currency, your financial investment will be affected by inflation and might lose value over time as the dollar declines. Some stablecoins have benefits that work just like an interest-bearing account, which might change the worth equation, especially with non-crypto rates of interest floating around zero.




Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Investing 101: TIPS - Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities

MoneyImage by TW Collins via Flickr

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS have been around since 1997. The Treasury issues TIPS. They produce a fixed interest rate paid semi-annually. The treasury uses the Consumer Price Index as a guide to adjust the principal for inflation. Both principal and interest are adjusted for inflation. If deflation occurs your still guaranteed the original principle according to Bankrate.com 
 
Newly issued TIPS are purchased directly from the government through it's TreasuryDirect program, in the months they are auctioned off. There is a secondary market where they can be purchased all year. 
 
You can buy TIPS with 5, 10 and 20 year maturities. You will have to pay taxes on the increase in principle, even though you don't receive it till the bond matures. So it is better to have TIPS in a tax-deferred account. 
 
The experts say the best way to buy TIPS is through a mutual fund. It's more expensive and there is a minimum of $1000 when buying individual TIPS. 
 
So what's so good about TIPS? With normal fixed income investments there is risk of inflation eroding their value. With TIPS, they are guaranteed to keep up with inflation. If you believe inflation is a danger then TIPS are for you. Your money will be protected. 
 
TIPS are one part of a well diversified portfolio. They receive a nice interest rate and are protected from rising inflation. The downside to TIPS: The principal of the bonds and the coupons fall when prices decline.



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