Bitcoin Gold (BTG) is a hard fork of the original open-source cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, which took place on November 12, 2017. BTG's stated purpose was to make Bitcoin decentralised again. Bitcoin Gold aimed to revolutionise the mining process by introducing a new proof-of-work algorithm that combats the scalability issues Bitcoin struggles with. This approach was designed to level the playing field by allowing more users to participate in the mining process with commonplace hardware.
Bitcoin Gold has a maximum supply of 21,000,000 BTG tokens and a total supply of 17,513,924 BTG tokens. The current circulating supply is equal to the total supply. As of August 2024, the Bitcoin Gold price is ranging between $23.43 and $25, showing some stability but without a significant upward trend.
Bitcoin Gold offers a solid technical foundation and innovative features, making it a reliable choice for those seeking stability in the crypto market. However, its lack of dramatic price movements compared to other cryptocurrencies means it may not have the same “mooning” potential. The success of Bitcoin Gold as an investment largely depends on its ability to expand its use cases and the overall performance of the crypto market.
What You'll Learn
Bitcoin Gold's price prediction and volatility
Bitcoin Gold (BTG) is a hard fork of the original open-source cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, which took place on 12 November 2017. Its stated purpose was to "make Bitcoin decentralised again".
Bitcoin Gold is not known for huge price movements, but it does have a solid technical base and innovative features. While it may not have the same "mooning" potential as other cryptocurrencies, it can still be a profitable investment.
Bitcoin Gold's price has fluctuated since its launch. It was initially valued at over $500 and hit an all-time high of $539.72 on 23 October 2017. However, the price fell rapidly and was below $200 in a short period. In March 2018, BTG fell below the $100 mark, and in January 2020, it plummeted to a new minimum of $5.02, reaching an all-time low of $4.25 in March 2020.
Bitcoin Gold started 2023 with a bear market, jumped to about $20 in February, dipped to about $14 in July, and finished the year at $21.5. It began 2024 at $21.56 and is currently trading at $43, having passed $68 in early March 2024.
According to one source, the Bitcoin Gold price prediction for the rest of 2024 anticipates a high of $34.21 by the end of the year. The same source predicts that in 2027, BTG will range between $93.00 and $110.36, with an average price of $110.26. In 2030, it is predicted that BTG will range between $163.06 and $180.36, with an average price of $173.07.
Another source predicts that the value of Bitcoin Gold will increase by 29.2% and reach $28.32 by 14 September 2024.
Yet another source predicts that the price of Bitcoin Gold will rise by 15.63% and reach $25.92 by 27 September 2024.
In summary, while Bitcoin Gold has had a volatile history, with its price fluctuating significantly since its launch, it is predicted to increase in value over the coming months and years. However, it is important to note that cryptocurrency investments are inherently risky, and there are no guarantees that these predictions will come to pass.
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Bitcoin Gold's advantages and drawbacks
Advantages of Bitcoin Gold (BTG)
BTG offers a solid technical foundation and innovative features, making it a reliable choice for those seeking stability in the crypto market. Here are some of its advantages:
- It has a stated purpose of "making Bitcoin decentralised again".
- It uses a proof-of-work algorithm called Equihash-BTG, which does not favour major mining operations on specialised equipment.
- It is more accessible for smaller miners.
- It has a finite supply, which will eventually reach a cap of 21 million.
- It has high liquidity.
- It has a strong technical foundation.
- It has innovative features.
- It has a friendly fork, retaining Bitcoin's transaction history until the fork but diverging thereafter, introducing unique blockchain traits.
Disadvantages of Bitcoin Gold (BTG)
- It has a history of malware attacks and security issues.
- It has been delisted from some exchanges.
- It has a lack of dramatic price movements compared to other cryptocurrencies, which may reduce its "mooning" potential.
- It has a controversial history, including accusations of hidden mining pool fees and a lack of transparency.
- It has a small number of reachable nodes compared to Bitcoin.
- It is not as well-established as Bitcoin, with a relatively low number of daily transactions.
- It is susceptible to 51% attacks.
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Bitcoin Gold's founders and their backgrounds
Bitcoin Gold (BTG) is a community-driven initiative with six co-founders, including Hang Yin, the lead developer. Half of the co-founders continue to serve on the project's board. The BTG organisation supports the Bitcoin Gold cryptocurrency and the broader cryptocurrency space.
Bitcoin Gold was created to address issues with the mining process of Bitcoin, which was believed to favour major mining operations. The new algorithm for the mining process, Equihash-BTG, was designed to prevent specialised equipment from outperforming standard computer systems. This approach aimed to level the playing field and allow more users to participate in the mining process with commonplace hardware.
Bitcoin Gold also aimed to address distribution, protection, and transparency issues. It sought to increase anonymity by not publishing transaction details or wallet addresses, differentiating itself from other blockchains, including Bitcoin.
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Bitcoin Gold's unique features and its place in the market
Bitcoin Gold (BTG) is a decentralised digital currency that emerged from a Bitcoin fork in 2017. Its primary goal is to democratise the mining process by altering the proof-of-work algorithm, making it accessible to individuals with regular GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) instead of specialised ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) hardware.
Decentralised Mining
Bitcoin Gold is committed to decentralised mining by using the Equihash algorithm. This ensures that mining is more accessible to individuals with standard hardware, preventing the monopolisation seen in Bitcoin mining. This approach levels the playing field, allowing more users to participate in the mining process, thereby promoting greater decentralisation and security within the network.
Replay Protection
Bitcoin Gold includes replay protection to ensure transaction safety. This prevents transactions from being duplicated on both the Bitcoin and Bitcoin Gold networks, avoiding double-spending issues and user confusion.
Transparency and Open Source
Bitcoin Gold emphasises transparency and is open-source, with its code available for public review. This openness fosters trust and enables community-driven improvements and innovations.
Impact on the Crypto Market
By making mining more accessible, Bitcoin Gold has attracted a broader range of participants into the cryptocurrency ecosystem. This increased participation can lead to a more secure and resilient network due to its decentralised nature.
Bitcoin Gold provides an alternative investment opportunity within the crypto space, offering a different value proposition compared to Bitcoin, making it attractive for diversification within crypto portfolios.
Community and Adoption
The Bitcoin Gold community has grown steadily and is supported by various exchanges, wallets, and service providers, increasing its adoption and usability. As one of the first hard forks of Bitcoin, BTG is available on a wide variety of exchanges and has been actively adopted by several online browsers and service providers.
Comparison to Bitcoin
The most significant difference between Bitcoin and Bitcoin Gold is their mining algorithms. Bitcoin uses the SHA-256 algorithm, optimised for ASIC mining, while Bitcoin Gold uses Equihash, designed for GPU mining, promoting decentralisation.
While both share the fundamental goal of being decentralised digital currencies, their objectives diverge in mining accessibility. Bitcoin Gold specifically focuses on countering the centralisation of mining power and making the process more democratic.
Bitcoin remains the dominant cryptocurrency by market capitalisation and adoption. Bitcoin Gold, while valuable, does not have the same market dominance but is crucial in promoting decentralised mining.
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Bitcoin Gold's availability and where to buy it
Bitcoin Gold (BTG) is available on several exchanges, including Binance, Gate.io, Huobi Global, Upbit, and Bithumb. However, as of November 2023, it is only actively trading on Bithumb, Uphold, Unocoin, and Coinone.
When it comes to purchasing BTG with fiat currencies, there are limited options. CEX.IO is one of the few exchanges that allows users to buy Bitcoin Gold with USD. YoBit and DSX are also among the exchanges that support Bitcoin Gold with fiat currencies.
For those looking to buy Bitcoin Gold with cryptocurrencies, exchanges like Binance offer a wide selection of pairings, including BTG/BTC. It is worth noting that the availability of exchanges may vary depending on your location, and it is always important to do your own research and carefully consider the risks before investing in cryptocurrencies.
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Frequently asked questions
Bitcoin Gold is a hard fork of the original open-source cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, which took place on November 12, 2017. It aims to "make Bitcoin decentralised again" by adopting a new algorithm for the mining process.
As of September 20, 2024, the live Bitcoin Gold price is $22.64 USD, with a 24-hour trading volume of $4,862,556 USD.
Bitcoin Gold offers a solid technical foundation and innovative features, making it a reliable choice for those seeking stability in the crypto market. However, its lack of dramatic price movements compared to other cryptocurrencies may not attract investors seeking high returns. The success of Bitcoin Gold as an investment largely depends on its ability to expand its use cases and the overall performance of the crypto market.
Investing in cryptocurrencies is risky due to the potential for high losses from security breaches. Cryptocurrency exchanges are vulnerable to hacking and other criminal activities. Additionally, safely storing cryptocurrencies can be challenging, and there is a risk of losing private keys for offline cold storage options.
Bitcoin Gold can be purchased on several exchanges, including Binance, Gate.io, Huobi Global, Upbit, and Bithumb.