1.4 million bitcoins left —

As of January 2024, there are approximately 19.6 million bitcoins in circulation, with about 1.4 million bitcoins left to be mined until the maximum supply cap of 21 million is reached. The Bitcoin network releases new bitcoins about every 10 minutes with each new block mined, and this issuance rate is halved approximately every four years in an event known as “Bitcoin halving.” The most recent halving in May 2020 reduced the block reward to 6.25 bitcoins, and the next halving, expected in April 2024, will further reduce the reward to 3.125 bitcoins. This decreasing issuance rate contributes to Bitcoin’s scarcity, making it a deflationary asset over time.

It’s also important to consider the significant number of bitcoins that are lost due to reasons like unrecoverable wallets, forgotten wallets, deceased owners without shared private keys, and burnt coins, further contributing to Bitcoin’s scarcity. The exact number of lost bitcoins is challenging to quantify, but estimates suggest that a significant portion of the total supply may never be recovered or used again.

For more detailed insights on Bitcoin’s total supply, the process of halving, and its implications, you can refer to the information provided by Crypto News oai_citation:1,How many Bitcoins are there? | Bitcoin’s total supply and Crypto.com oai_citation:2,How Many Bitcoins Are There in Total?.