#BTC挖矿难度创新高

A few days ago, Federal Reserve Chairman Powell stated: "We are not allowed to hold Bitcoin." As soon as this was said, the price of Bitcoin dropped from $108,000 all the way down to $92,500.
Coincidentally, recently San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly also expressed her views on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. She emphasized that cryptocurrencies should not be confused with gold and that they still have a long way to go to become a true form of 'currency.' Daly pointed out in a podcast: "Cryptocurrency is a complex thing, and what we need to do now is to clarify its essence for the public; only by doing this can we accurately define it. It may be a form of currency, or serve as a medium of exchange, or it could be similar to stocks, an asset that sometimes holds value and sometimes depreciates; we must clarify these concepts." She further added: "So, I think it is different from gold. Although it occasionally shows characteristics similar to gold, it cannot simply be equated with assets like gold."
Daly's comments differ slightly from Powell's earlier views. When Powell spoke about Bitcoin earlier this month at the New York Times DealBook conference, it sparked heated discussions in the cryptocurrency community. He mentioned: "Currently, people are more inclined to regard Bitcoin as a speculative asset. It is similar to gold, only it exists in a virtual, digital form. In reality, people are not using it as a conventional payment method, nor can they rely on it for stable value storage. Bitcoin's price is extremely volatile; it is not a competitor to the dollar, but rather more like a competitor to gold."
Although both Daly and Powell agree that cryptocurrencies do not currently meet the conditions to become currency, some bullish cryptocurrency advocates firmly believe that, given the current development of cryptocurrencies, it should be regarded as a currency. Daly explained in detail: "To become a currency, a cryptocurrency must possess a key attribute: its value must be able to grow steadily alongside economic growth, without being significantly affected by temporary demand fluctuations. Just like dollar bills, even if more people need them, their intrinsic value does not easily rise; what truly affects the fluctuations in the dollar's value is the overall economic situation and the growth rate of the U.S. economy compared to other countries. Therefore, if cryptocurrencies want to become currency, they must improve on this characteristic."
Although it seems far from reach for cryptocurrencies to gain Congressional approval and officially become a widely recognized currency, this has not affected the strong upward momentum in trading various digital assets.
Since Trump was elected on November 5, Bitcoin, as the most popular cryptocurrency, has performed impressively. On December 4, the price of Bitcoin first broke through the $100,000 mark. Since the election day, Bitcoin's price has surged by 38%, and from the beginning of the year, it has skyrocketed by 106%. Meanwhile, stocks closely related to cryptocurrencies, such as Coinbase (COIN) and Robinhood (HOOD), have seen increases of 45% and 204%, respectively, this year.
The enthusiasm in the cryptocurrency market is also reflected in some institutions that traditionally prefer to invest in stocks and bonds, which have recently entered the fray. In May of this year, Wisconsin's pension fund significantly increased its holdings in Bitcoin by purchasing two new funds approved by regulators at the beginning of the year, involving amounts exceeding $160 million. Additionally, MicroStrategy (MSTR), led by Michael Saylor, has continued to actively buy Bitcoin in recent weeks.
It is worth mentioning that the new Trump administration has appointed venture capitalist David Sacks as the 'Cryptocurrency Czar,' responsible for overseeing various issues related to cryptocurrencies and pushing forward related initiatives. Reports suggest that one possible initiative is to establish a Bitcoin reserve, a proposal that has received support from Trump's backers.
Mark Palmer, an analyst at Benchmark Company, stated: "The current situation is changing dramatically, and there are even those focused on making the U.S. a leader in cryptocurrency and Bitcoin mining, which is very different from the past. In our analysis and predictions, we assume that by the end of 2026, the price of Bitcoin is expected to soar to $225,000." He also emphasized: "More and more institutions are beginning to adopt Bitcoin, which is the key factor driving its price increase."
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