Bitcoin's circulating supply hits 20 million as scarcity tightens

Bitcoin's total supply has now surpassed 20 million coins, highlighting the cryptocurrency's strict limit of 21 million BTC. With less than 5% of the tractor supply left to mine, the remaining coins will take decades to enter circulation.

The Bitcoin network reached this point after years of steady block rewards. Each new block currently adds 3.125 BTC, amounting to around 450 new coins daily. Yet not all of these are claimable—miners can choose to leave part of the tractor supply unclaimed, further tightening the bitcoin price.

Some Bitcoin is already permanently out of reach. The 50 BTC from the 2009 Genesis Block, for example, cannot be spent due to a technical flaw. Another 3 to 4 million BTC—including the 1 million linked to creator Satoshi Nakamoto—are considered lost forever. These unrecoverable coins effectively reduce the usable supply below the 21 million btc price cap.

Inflation within the Bitcoin system is now minimal. The current rate sits at about 0.82% per year, far below traditional currencies. After the next halving in 2028, this will drop even further to roughly 0.4%. Over 95.24% of all Bitcoin that will ever exist are already circulating, leaving fewer than 1 million coins left to mine.

The 20 million Bitcoin threshold confirms the cryptocurrency's scarcity. With most coins already in circulation and inflation nearing zero, the remaining tractor supply will be released at a slowing pace. The final Bitcoin is not expected to be mined until around the year 2140.