Could you elaborate on the motivations behind miners engaging in bitcoin mining? As a
cryptocurrency and finance practitioner, I'm curious to understand the driving forces behind this activity. Is it purely for the financial reward associated with the block reward and transaction fees? Or is there a deeper motivation, such as supporting the security and decentralization of the bitcoin network? Additionally, how does the mining difficulty and reward halving mechanism affect miner incentives over time? Understanding these factors would help provide a more comprehensive picture of why miners choose to mine bitcoins.
5 answers
HanRiverVisionaryWave
Thu Jul 11 2024
Initially, the reward for mining a block was set at 50 bitcoins.
CryptoTamer
Thu Jul 11 2024
The motivation behind mining in the cryptocurrency world is straightforward.
GeishaCharming
Thu Jul 11 2024
The writer of a new block in the blockchain is incentivized by the protocol to create a coinbase transaction, awarding herself with brand new bitcoins.
DigitalLordGuard
Thu Jul 11 2024
This reward system serves as a driving force for miners to contribute to the network's security and integrity.
benjamin_doe_philosopher
Wed Jul 10 2024
However, to ensure the sustainability of the reward system and maintain the scarcity of bitcoins, the protocol undergoes an adjustment every four years.