Disclaimer: The information presented does not constitute financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice and is solely the writer’s opinion.
Litecoin [LTC] bulls and bears continued to battle for supremacy on the price charts. Its price remained stagnant around the $65-level this week.
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Glass half full
On 2 August, the third edition of Litecoin’s halving took place when the network reached a block height of 2,520,000, which reduced miners’ rewards from 12.5 LTC to 6.25 LTC.
LITECOIN HAS SUCCESSFULLY HALVED ITS BLOCK REWARD!
⚡ $LTC ⚡ pic.twitter.com/iemCnkPsdu
— Litecoin (@litecoin) August 2, 2023
Halving is a significant event programmed into certain cryptocurrency protocols, including Litecoin, that takes place at regular intervals. During this event, the block reward given to miners for validating transactions and securing the network is reduced by half.
The primary purpose of halving is to control the issuance rate of new coins and manage inflation within the cryptocurrency system.
The impact of halving is two-fold. First, it introduces an element of scarcity into the cryptocurrency ecosystem. With the reduced block rewards, the rate at which new coins are introduced into circulation decreases.
This creates a sense of scarcity among market participants, potentially leading to an increase in demand for cryptocurrency.
Secondly, halving affects the mining rewards for miners. As the block rewards are halved, miners receive fewer coins for their mining efforts. This can result in decreased mining profitability, especially for miners with higher operating costs.
Some miners may be compelled to leave the network if the costs of mining exceed the rewards, potentially leading to a temporary decline in the network’s hash rate and overall security.
Litecoin, as it completes its third halving since its inception in 2011, will experience a reduction in its supply rate. It will lead to fewer new LTC being mined. This scarcity factor could trigger increased demand and speculative activity in the cryptocurrency market.
Furthermore, miners will need to adjust to the reduced mining rewards, which may impact their profitability and mining operations.
ChatGPT makes a comparison
Experts expected that the halving could help Litecoin gain more market share in the PoW sector. To make a comparison, I consulted ChatGPT to highlight the various differences of multiple PoW cryptocurrencies and their various advantages.
According to the AI bot, Litecoin’s emphasis on faster transactions and lower fees is likely to attract more users and investors. As transaction volumes increase, network activity for Litecoin could surge, enhancing its appeal as a quick and cost-effective digital currency.
However, Dogecoin’s inflationary nature stands in contrast to Litecoin’s scarcity induced by halving. While Dogecoin has strong community and viral appeal, concerns about dilution arising from its inflationary supply might favor Litecoin in the short term.
Meanwhile, users valuing privacy and anonymity are more likely to stick with Monero [XMR] due to its unique privacy features. However, for those prioritizing speed and lower fees, Litecoin could serve as a practical alternative.
Regarding Ethereum Classic [ETC], its focus on immutability and code-as-law principles might attract a distinct audience compared to Litecoin’s user base. The short-term advantage for each cryptocurrency would depend on specific use cases and the preferences of users and investors during this period.
Source: ChatGPT
Does Litecoin have a competitive advantage?
Recent regulatory scrutiny against various cryptocurrencies has impacted various altcoins negatively. However, Litecoin was one of the few altcoins that was considered a commodity in the lawsuit filing against Binance [BNB].
On March 27, 2023, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission stated that $LTC is a “commodity.”
— Litecoin (@litecoin) July 21, 2023
After asking ChatGPT’s opinion on this development, it stated that the classification of Litecoin as a commodity by the CFTC is a “golden ticket” to crypto. As a regulated commodity, Litecoin might attract more institutional interest and investment. It could potentially lead to increased adoption and a positive impact on its price.
Source: ChatGPT
Price tells a different story
At press time, LTC was trading at $66.06.
Read Litecoin’s [LTC] Price Prediction 2023-2024
Both LTC’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Money Flow Index (MFI) rested below the neutral 50-mark. But its On Balance Volume (OBV) didn’t show a positive sign.
Source: LTC/USD, TradingView
In conclusion, Litecoin’s on-chain metrics suggest that a possibly bearish price movement is on the way.