There is no doubt about it; the world has been going Bitcoin crazy.
From the inception and launch of this cryptocurrency, and over the subsequent nine years, it has gone on to become one of the most talked about technologies that the world has ever known.
But what divides popular opinion is whether it is here to stay, whether it can present a viable alternative to fiat currency, and whether its value will continue to increase.
In this article, we will take a good look at Bitcoin Price Prediction 2018, give you our opinion, and provide you with some information on where to buy your Bitcoin, should you decide you want to give investing a go.
Bitcoin History: Quick Recap
Bitcoin is what is known as a cryptocurrency – a digital asset that works as a medium of exchange, but that uses cryptography to control how it is created and managed.
Another essential difference between Bitcoin and fiat currency is the fact that it is entirely decentralised and is not controlled in any way by a centralised authority or government. This makes it incredibly attractive to those who have little faith in banks or governments.
Launched in 2009, Bitcoin was created by Satoshi Nakamoto – a developer who operates under this pseudonym with no one knowing his true identity.
Since its inception, Bitcoin has undergone incredible growth, and it has become one of the world’s most talked about currencies, with prices increasing from $1 per coin to over $20,000 per coin.
But its value and immense volatility is something that concerns many investors. Its value is unpredictable and prone to fluctuation, something that makes even the most risk-taking investor, a little nervous.
In December 2017, the price of a single Bitcoin exceeded $19,000 – its highest ever value.
No one had predicted that its value would reach these stratospheric heights, but within a couple of weeks, its price had plummeted to almost half, with no one able to say what would happen next.
Its unpredictability and volatility aside, we are going to try and shed some light on Bitcoin, and try to interpret some of the predictions that are making the rounds at the moment. Let us read on to find out more.
The Most Popular Bitcoin Predictions For 2018
Bitcoin Will Reach $100k+
The wishful thinking Bitcoin-investors amongst us believe that Bitcoin has the potential to surpass the $100k point by the middle of 2018.
A few months ago, the official prediction was that it would surpass the $14k mark by the middle of 2018, although what happened to it in December, soon blew that speculation out of the water.
Many investors, or optimists as I like to refer to them, believe that it could reach the dizzying heights of $100,000 as we head towards June.
There are even a few analysts such as CNBC presenter Jim Cramer, who believes that one day, Bitcoin will surpass the million-dollar mark.
Cramer: Bitcoin is the way to pay off ‘the bad guys’ from CNBC.
The jury is out on whether BTC can reach 100k as the market capitalisation would be $1 trillion on BTC, just to reach the value of $60k per coin.
As the market cap is set at $700 billion, whereas a few months ago it was only $170 billion, it does seem like it could be possible.
Bitcoin Will Go Through a Change of Use
The original use and function of Bitcoin were designed to be that of a currency – a viable alternative to fiat currency such as dollars or euros.
It seems more likely that instead of replacing fiat currency, that it might evolve to become a high-tech tool used to store value rather than to trade it.
Due to the substantial increase in Bitcoin value, it seems that lots of investors are using the cryptocurrency as a way to store their investments. Consider also that its security features mean that it is incredibly attractive as a way of storing value when compared to a fiat currency.
Another point that could signal a shift in the change of use is the fact that doesn’t scale particularly well.
As the network gets more and busier, so the cost of transactions increases which means it may well become inefficient for processing transactions shortly.
One must also consider the threat of new cryptocurrencies with lower fees, quicker transaction times, and other features that Bitcoin may not have. This could result in Bitcoin taking a backseat and becoming an asset, as opposed to an alternative means of transacting.
If this is to happen, it is highly likely that the price will stabilise and settle somewhere between $10k and $20k.
The Emergence of a Futures Market
After the announcement from CME that they would seek to create a futures market contract for Bitcoin by December 2017, a ripple of recognition of what Bitcoin is capable of was felt throughout the whole community.
The implications of such a move became apparent, and on the positive side, futures enable trading a particular asset to become more accessible to investors and members of the general population.
The result of this and Bitcoin Futures is an increase in the rate of adoption of Bitcoin.
The cost of futures trading is rather low, whereas a significant increase in the adoption of Bitcoin, and a lack of progress in the underlying technology, has led to a dramatic increase in the cost of Bitcoin.
The introduction of a futures market would hopefully lead to some stability of the value of Bitcoin. It does mean, however, that the price may drop.
As the future market would make it much easier for large investors to short sell the coins, as well as take big bets on a variety of outcomes, it seems that the price would settle at around $10k.
Bitcoin Is A Bursting Bubble
While there is a lot of optimism around Bitcoin, there are still many cynical individuals who believe that its popularity is nothing more than a bubble that is due to burst spectacularly and devastatingly.
First of all, the technology that is supporting Bitcoin is a bit out of date, especially when compared to some of its competing coins. Unless it undergoes some rather radical growth, it seems unlikely that its popularity will wane.
If users find better, cheaper, and faster solutions elsewhere, it seems unlikely that they would keep using Bitcoin, just for the sake of it. If Bitcoin becomes just a way of storing value, then the entire network will become useless as it will only consist of users who are hoarding coins rather than effecting transactions.
Another big issue is that of regulation.
Many countries and governments are cracking down on Bitcoin, or at the very least, introducing stringent legislation that is starting to suffocate it, and also limit some of its attractiveness.
An excellent example of this is when South Korea banned some major cryptocurrency exchanges within the country. This sent the value of Bitcoin plummeting, and although it recovered, it just shows what a devastating effect that these moves can have on the value.
If Bitcoin were to become impossible to be involved with from a regulatory point of view, you would be able to consider the bubble, well and indeed burst.
All it takes is a few leading economies to ban transaction with Bitcoin, and its value will plummet.
Still Want to Buy Bitcoin?
There is no doubt that it is a fascinating time for cryptocurrency and in particular Bitcoin.
Despite not knowing whether 2018 will see Bitcoin surpass $1 million per coin, or disappear into the ether, many are still interested in having a go at investing. If you are one of these people, then here are a couple of good exchanges where you can both purchase, and exchange cryptocurrency:
BitPanda
BitPanda was once known as Coinimal, and is one of the leading Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, and Litecoin web wallets that has its trading facility.
It gives users the chance to purchase cryptocurrencies with fiat currency (EUR at present) and to receive them within a matter of minutes. BitPanda offers excellent security with 2-factor authentication, but it has low anonymity as you are required to submit photographic identification.
It does, however, offer quite a selection of payment methods, meaning that purchasing coins is quite an easy process. It is championed in the online community for being easy to use, quick to transact, and flexible regarding payment methods.
For more details, read our BitPanda Review.
eToro
eToro was set up in 2007 – headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus it brands itself as a social exchange platform and is regulated by CySEC, ASIC, CFTC MiFID and the FCA.
When we call it a social trading platform, we mean that it can connect traders with information based on other trader’s activities, and allows them to discuss and replicated trades, and even copy successful trader’s portfolios.
It allows deposits via bank transfer, credit card, PayPal, Skrill and a variety of other e-payment platforms. Withdrawals are straightforward, and the platform also provides a lot of resources to facilitate successful trading including webinars, step by step, courses, and videos.
It also offers assistance in a multitude of languages, meaning it can adequately serve clients from all over the world.
For more details, read our eToro Review.
Where to Keep Your Bitcoins?
Once you have purchased your coins, you are going to need somewhere to keep them. Storing them on an exchange is not going to cut it regarding security, so your best option is getting a cryptocurrency wallet.
There are several different kinds available such as web wallet, app wallet, and the most secure option – a hardware wallet.
A hardware wallet allows you to keep your coins safe and secure and out of the way of hackers and nefarious individuals who might be trying to get their hands on your cash. When it comes to hardware wallets, the best is by far the Ledger Nano S.
Ledger Nano S
The Nano S is one of the most affordable options on the market.
Retailing at around €79, it keeps your coins utterly secure in an offline environment, and it’s entirely impenetrable for hackers or your computer, even if it is infected with keylogging malware, your details will stay safe and sound.
It is small and sleek with its design, and it offers a whole host of security features such as 2-factor authentication, a 24-word recovery seed, and a unique way of entering your pin number.
Its best feature is its screen which means that you can do all of your transactions from the device itself, meaning your security is never compromised via your computer. It is, without a doubt the best value hardware wallet on the market, as well as one of the most popular.
If you are going to buy Bitcoin, this is the wallet you need to get to keep them in. There are other pricier ones on the market but feature wise; there is very little difference.
Opt for the cheaper version and invest the money you have saved, into some more Bitcoins!
If you need more details, visit our Ledger Nano S Review.
Should You Invest In Bitcoin In 2018?
The answer is yes, you should.
While it is tough to predict precisely what is going to happen, it does appear that the value of Bitcoin is just going to continue increasing.
It also seems likely that it will evolve into a means of storing value and assets, rather than just a cryptocurrency, we predict that in 2018 the price will go through extreme volatility, then stabilise towards the end of the year.
As it is such a fledgeling concept and technology, it is understandable that it is volatile and unstable.
However, if the Bitcoin price prediction for 2018 does not convince you, read more about the best cryptocurrencies to invest in 2018.
