Bitcoin halving is an event where the reward for mining a new block in the Bitcoin blockchain is halved, approximately every four years. This is an inherent feature of the Bitcoin protocol.
When Bitcoin was first launched in 2009, the mining reward was 50 bitcoins per block. The first halving occurred in 2012, reducing the reward to 25 bitcoins per block. The second halving took place in 2016, decreasing the reward to 12.5 bitcoins. The third halving happened in 2020, and now the reward stands at 6.25 bitcoins per block.
Reducing the mining reward helps limit the supply of bitcoins and controls inflation. It can also impact the price of Bitcoin: some investors and analysts believe that the halving can lead to an increase in the Bitcoin price due to the reduction of new coins entering the market.
The next halving is expected to happen tomorrow April 20!