What is Bitcoin — plain English
Bitcoin is digital money that no government or bank controls. There will only ever be 21 million Bitcoin in existence. The price is simply what someone is willing to pay for one Bitcoin right now. It moves more than almost any other asset. A 5% move in a day is normal. A 30% move in a week is not unusual.
What makes Bitcoin move
Bitcoin halving events — happen every 4 years, cut new supply in half
ETF approvals or rejections by the SEC (US regulator)
US interest rate decisions — higher rates reduce appetite for risky assets
Government regulation or bans from major economies
Large exchange hacks that shake confidence in custody
Big companies buying or selling (MicroStrategy, Tesla, etc)
Elon Musk tweets — genuinely and measurably moves the price
Presidential and political positions on crypto
The halving is the most predictable catalyst. Every four years the reward miners receive for adding new Bitcoin to circulation gets cut in half. Less new supply coming in. If demand stays the same or grows, price tends to go up. The 2024 halving reduced the block reward from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC.
The SEC's approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 was genuinely transformative. Before that, big pension funds and institutions had no simple, compliant way to hold Bitcoin. The ETFs changed that. Over $10 billion flowed in within the first month.
What happened at real events
These are actual price movements at real events. Not simulated.
January 10, 2024
SEC approves first spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US
Before
$46,000
→
After
$48,500
+$2,500 ↑
Institutional money suddenly had a straightforward, regulated way to buy Bitcoin exposure. The ETFs attracted billions of dollars in the first few weeks of trading. BlackRock, Fidelity, and others were all approved on the same day.
April 19, 2024
Bitcoin halving — block reward cut from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC
Before
$63,800
→
After (72h)
$59,000
-$4,800 ↓
Classic buy-the-rumour, sell-the-news. Bitcoin had rallied for months in anticipation of the halving. When it finally happened, traders took profits. The actual supply reduction takes months to show up in price. Bitcoin went on to hit new highs later in the year.
November 5, 2024
Donald Trump wins the US Presidential election
Before
$68,000
→
After (48h)
$89,000
+$21,000 ↑
Trump had run on a platform of making the US a global crypto hub, appointing crypto-friendly regulators, and potentially building a national Bitcoin reserve. The market priced this in very quickly. It was one of the biggest 48-hour moves in Bitcoin's history.
Best brokers for Bitcoin trading
Ranked by BTC availability and trading conditions. EU brokers are limited to 1:2 leverage on crypto by ESMA regulation.
Key things to know before trading Bitcoin
| Factor | What it means for traders |
|---|---|
| EU leverage cap (1:2) | A $1,000 position controls $2,000 of Bitcoin. Limits gains and losses. |
| 24/7 market | Bitcoin trades on weekends. Price can move overnight while you sleep. |
| Volatility | Bitcoin regularly moves 5-10% in a single day. Size positions accordingly. |
| Next halving | Estimated 2028. Block reward drops to 1.5625 BTC. |
| CFD vs real Bitcoin | Most brokers offer CFDs only — you do not own the Bitcoin, you own a contract. |
Crypto CFDs are among the highest-risk instruments available to retail traders. The EU limits leverage to 1:2 for a reason. Most retail traders lose money. Only trade what you can afford to lose completely.