As the much-anticipated Bitcoin halving approaches, questions loom over its impact on mining profitability. Despite a 50% reduction in Bitcoin supply issuance, experts suggest that miners may not necessarily face a decline in profitability.
Laurent Benayoun, CEO of Acheron Trading, emphasized in an interview with Cointelegraph that the decrease in mining rewards post-halving could be offset by a surge in network fees. He pointed out that in dollar terms, miners might even fare better after the halving, thanks to this compensatory factor.
Scheduled for April 19, the Bitcoin halving will slash block issuance rewards from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC. Historically, such reductions have spelled trouble for smaller mining firms. However, Benayoun believes that this time could be different due to the booming effect of increasing network fees, propelled by Ordinals inscriptions and Bitcoin-native decentralized finance (BTCFi) projects.
The rise in network fees is significant, as they serve as transaction fees paid to miners to include transactions in the following block. Currently averaging at $4.88 per transaction, these fees have surged over 86% in the past year, according to YCharts.
Joe Downie, Chief Marketing Officer of NiceHash, also added that Bitcoin mining companies could stay profitable if the Bitcoin price remains above the $70,000 mark. He noted that at current block rewards, profitability is maintained with a BTC price exceeding $35,000.
Despite recent price fluctuations, experts stress that profitability depends not only on price but also on the quality and efficiency of mining equipment. Downie explained that older hardware might become less profitable post-halving, while newer, energy-efficient models could continue to thrive.
Looking ahead, Benayoun expressed optimism, suggesting that fewer mining firms would be forced out of business compared to past cycles. He attributed this to the combined effect of Bitcoin’s price appreciation and increasing network fees, making operations more sustainable for miners.
Bitcoin Billionaire Foresees Challenges Ahead
Nonetheless, Bitcoin billionaire Arthur Hayes predicts a challenging period for risky assets, including cryptocurrencies, until May. In his latest essay, the BitMEX co-founder and former CEO warns of a potential slump in prices around the Bitcoin halving.
In fact, Hayes suggests a different outcome this time, attributing it to tightened U.S. dollar liquidity caused by factors such as tax payments, the Federal Reserve’s Quantitative Tightening (QT) program, and the Treasury General Account’s balance.
Instead of a post-halving rally, Hayes expects the event to contribute to a “raging firesale of crypto assets.” To navigate this period, he has chosen to stay out of the market until May, selling certain cryptocurrencies and allocating funds to Ethena’s USDe for yield generation.
At the moment, several protocols are offering attractive yields through a combination of staking rewards and hedging derivatives positions. However, Hayes remains cautious, avoiding shorting the market and opting for a no-trade zone strategy until May 1st.
In conclusion, the varying viewpoints expressed by industry experts and investors highlight the complexity of predicting the impact of the Bitcoin halving on mining profitability and market trends.
As the event nears, investors are left to consider these contrasting opinions, recognizing that the true effects will only be evident post-halving. It’s essential to approach the situation with caution and diligence, understanding that time will ultimately reveal the accuracy of these perspectives.
