斷電、禁交易所，中國接連出招但比特幣似乎影響不大
儘管面臨中國政府多方圍剿，比特幣一度面臨重擊，但經過一個月，一切似乎和中國政府的盤算不盡相同。
為了讓中國數位人民幣業務順利開展，中國政府有計畫的一步步進攻比特幣，在多處政府連手斷電礦場後，比特幣全網算力腰斬，幣值也連續崩跌，許多人甚至就像中國政府期望的那樣，認為比特幣終究要走向泡沫化。
然而比特幣精巧的設計，反而讓中國政府無所施力。當比特幣價值增長，越來越多人覺得有利可圖而投入挖礦以獲取比特幣時，比特幣網路的挖礦難度也會隨之提升，迫使礦工必須要付出更多資源挖礦，這樣的機制有助於比特幣網路保持平衡。
相反地，當全網算力大幅下降，礦工大量退出時，比特幣的挖礦難度也會隨之下降，誘使更多人投入挖礦。在中國政府於 2021 年六月大舉斷電礦場後，比特幣全網算力腰斬，隨之而來的是難度迅速下降。
原先貢獻全網算力近 60% 的中國礦工退出後，比特幣挖礦難度在一週內下降了約 30%，簡單來說，雖然比特幣幣值因此下跌了 40%，但礦工要獲取比特幣所需付出的資源也下降了 30%。一來一往之間，中國政府斷電礦場的政策，反而是將原本由中國礦工壟斷的挖礦事業，拱手讓給海外礦工，而且消耗的電力還更少。
▲ 比特幣算力從谷底又慢慢回升。（ Source：Bitinfochart）
2021 年 5 月，比特幣全網算力來到歷史高峰 186MTH/s（每秒百萬雜湊值），在中國政府介入後，算力驟降至兩年來最低的 68MTH/s，然而經歷一個月，全球礦工們積極搶下中國讓出的機會，順勢搶購中國礦工便宜出售的礦機，目前算力已回升到 110MTH/s。
除了礦工，雖然中國政府明文禁止交易所，但中國用戶並未消失市場，幣安（Binance）與火幣（Huobi）依然提供中國用戶交易管道，想阻止這些去中心化交易所，光靠中國網路長城還不夠，恐怕還需要金融長城，禁止中國人民將人民幣兌換成他國法幣，才有可能禁絕交易所生存空間。
中國政府打壓無效，最有力的證據就是在過去一個月，這些與中國高度相關的亞洲交易所，包括幣安、火幣與 OKEx，依然是全球最活絡的加密貨幣交易所。相比之下，今年風光上市的美國交易所 Coinbase 交易量，都遠遠落後於這些中國政府認為不合法的交易所。
不可否認，中國政府對於挖礦和交易所的禁令，都對比特幣造成一定程度的衝擊，但短短不到兩個月，比特幣算力與幣值明顯恢復良好，超出許多人預期。過去兩週比特幣上漲超過 40%，幣值從跌破 3 萬美元到超過 4 萬美元，如今落在 38,994 美元，應該讓前陣子接手中國礦機的礦工樂不可支。
（首圖來源：Pixabay）
Bitcoin Price Rebounds After Testing Lower Support Near $44K as Ether Booms
The price of bitcoin rose by $500 on a four-hour basis Wednesday after testing lower support near $44,000 during Asia’s late morning trading hours.
The rebound from 24-hour lows of $44,248 follows a period of profit-taking on Tuesday on the back of short-term fatigue, as CoinDesk reported. Bitcoin is currently changing hands at around $45,000 and is down 2.9% from a 24-hour high of $47,157, CoinDesk data show.
Bitcoin continues to cool upon multiple attempts at $50,000, evoking moments of price action gone by, though that may be less of a concern now given demand from bigger players, according to some market participants.
Related: Bitcoin Lightning Network Growth Passes New Milestones
“In comparison to the bull runs in 2017 and 2018, the current movement takes a more mature trend,” said Cynthia Wu, head of sales at Singapore-based digital asset services firm Matrixport. “The market landscape has become much more institutionalized – where now you have proprietary traders in crypto hedge funds, crypto-offerings from foreign exchange brokers and institutions … that are transacting on an institutional scale.”
The price trend for bitcoin and the fusion of retail and institutional interest are signs that the search for yield by investors, big or small, has extended into crypto and “will be around for good,” Wu added.
Bitcoin’s daily price action remains relatively flat with the weight of the previously discussed 200-day moving average bearing down on prices near $45,500, a sign that further selling pressure could be lurking around the corner.
Meanwhile, the altcoin market continues to hold firm with most in the top 20 coins by market cap remaining in the green over the past seven days.
Related: How Much Energy Does Bitcoin Use?
“Overall, the markets have seen a positive trend continue this week; altcoins are up while bitcoin has coasted flat,” said Byron Goldberg, Australian country manager at crypto exchange Luno. “Interestingly, we are seeing ether slightly outperform bitcoin week-on-week.”
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Over a 30-day period, ether is up 67.6%, compared with bitcoin’s 46.3% rise during the same period, Messari data shows.
Goldberg points to Ethereum’s London hard fork as the likely catalyst for driving prices higher.
Indeed, futures premium on ether stands at 7.36%, compared with bitcoin’s meagre 2.8%, meaning the crypto markets are likely anticipating ether to rise further than bitcoin over the next three months with a shift in institutional interest, Goldberg added.
All major cryptos in the top 20 posted results in the red over a 24-hour period by press time. Dogecoin shed the most, while uniswap and chainlink followed close behind.
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Bitcoin down even as crypto industry undergoes a ‘revolution’
One expert has said now is a good time for investors to scoop up some bargains before crypto prices resurge again. Photo: AP
Cryptocurrencies were broadly lower on Wednesday alongside a slump in global markets as investors worry economic recovery will slow due to a spike in coronavirus cases worldwide.
Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was 3.5% lower to trade at $45,250 (£32,894). Ethereum (ETH-USD), the second largest crypto by market cap, tumbled 6.4% to trade at $3,048.
Dogecoin (DOGE-USD) which had rallied over the weekend, plunged 11% and was trading at $0.29.
Equity markets have “affected crypto markets as well, because of which digital coins are going through a correction in prices,” said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Ava Trade.
“Going forward, the price action of cryptocurrencies is likely to show strength as they have been testing their respective resistance levels over the past few days. A breakthrough of these levels would propel the digital currencies to fly even higher.”
Bitcoin’s price was down Wednesday afternoon. Chart: Yahoo Finance UK
He said investors should keep in mind that the cryptocurrency industry is undergoing a “revolution,” and many institutions are working to make the use of these digital assets a reality soon.
For instance, Visa (V) is working to connect global electronic payment systems to blockchain technology.
So far 54 fintech companies have joined the payment firm in its goal of making it easy for consumers to use digital coins as a means of payment.
Watch: What is bitcoin?
In 2021, its crypto-connected debit cards assisted in conducting transactions worth nearly $1bn.
“This development demonstrates the enormous potential of crypto currencies, and as a result, now is a good time for investors to scoop up some bargains before crypto prices resurge again,” said Aslam.
It has also been reported that Walmart (WMT) wants to hire a cryptocurrency expert to develop a blockchain strategy.
Meanwhile Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, said it had appointed Greg Monahan, a former US Treasury criminal investigator, as its global money laundering reporting officer.
Read more: European markets open higher after a day of selling
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“My efforts will be focused on expanding Binance’s international anti-money laundering and investigation programmes, as well as strengthening the organisation’s relations with regulatory and law enforcement bodies worldwide,” said Monohan.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny for the company, as well as the crypto industry, from regulators around the world.
The industry recently failed to win a change to tax reporting rules in the US’s infrastructure bill. Legislation passed on Tuesday last week has outlined broad oversight of digital currency.
Watch: What are the risks of investing in cryptocurrency?