Bitcoin’s ‘Halving’ Is About to Shake Cryptocurrency Markets

If you are not someone following the ups and downs of bitcoin, you probably have not heard about a big event next year. It is called the “halving.” It will cut creation of the cryptocurrency by 50 percent.

A cryptocurrency is any form of money that exists online and operates without a central bank. Bitcoin is one of several such currencies.

No one person or group is in control of this halving process. It is a rule written into bitcoin’s computer program by its creator Satoshi Nakamoto more than 10 years ago.

The event is expected in May of 2020. It would cut by 50 percent the number of new bitcoins given to bitcoin miners. These miners create the world’s supply of cryptocurrency by solving complex mathematical questions.

The halving represents a big change in a market worth about $120 billion. Bitcoin worth several billions dollars are created every year.

Bitcoin market players are predicting sharp price increases as well as sharp drops in the value of the cryptocurrency….