The Bitcoin network has reached a major milestone as the 20 millionth BTC has been mined, leaving only about one million coins remaining before the total supply cap of 21 million is reached. The event highlights Bitcoin’s strict issuance model, where the supply schedule is permanently coded into the protocol and cannot be expanded like traditional fiat currencies.
Currently, more than 95% of all Bitcoin has already been mined. With block rewards halving roughly every four years, the creation of new BTC continues to slow, and the final coins are expected to be mined around 2140. As rewards decline, miners will increasingly rely on transaction fees while the asset’s limited supply strengthens its reputation as a form of digital scarcity similar to gold.
