<p>No it does not become computationally infeasible, 1 halving per 210.000 blocks leads to a total of 21m due to math.</p>

<p>Bitcoin block reward is 50 for 210.000 blocks then 25 for 210.000 blocks then 12.5 etc. So the total reward is 210.000 * (50 + 25 + 12.5 + ...). Inside the parenthesis is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric_series#Formula" rel="nofollow noreferrer">geometric series</a> which can be rewritten as 50 * (1 + 1/2 + 1/4 + ...).</p>

<p>Now using the formula in the link we have <code>a = 50</code> and <code>r = 1/2</code> and the sum of this infinate series is 100. Multiply that by 210.000 and you get 21 million bitcoins total (actually a little less than that because a bitcoin is not infinately dividable).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-03T15:47:00.397Z
2018-11-03T15:47:00.397Z
Mike D
<p>it is well known that the upper limit of bitcoins is 21 million, which can be calculated mathematically; but from documents i have read, this is because mining a new block is defined to have diminishing returns (1 halving per 210k blocks); is this the sole factor limiting the possible number of coins? is there anything i missed in this crypto system which becomes more and more difficult over time and finally becomes computationally infeasible that is limiting the number of coins?</p>

<mining-reward><reward-schedule><inflation>
Is the number of coins limited by rule or by computational infeasibility?
Cyker
# Is the number of coins limited by rule or by computational infeasibility?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-03)

it is well known that the upper limit of bitcoins is 21 million, which can be calculated mathematically; but from documents i have read, this is because mining a new block is defined to have diminishing returns (1 halving per 210k blocks); is this the sole factor limiting the possible number of coins? is there anything i missed in this crypto system which becomes more and more difficult over time and finally becomes computationally infeasible that is limiting the number of coins?

**Tags:** mining-reward, reward-schedule, inflation


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-11-03. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

No it does not become computationally infeasible, 1 halving per 210.000 blocks leads to a total of 21m due to math.

Bitcoin block reward is 50 for 210.000 blocks then 25 for 210.000 blocks then 12.5 etc. So the total reward is 210.000 \* (50 + 25 + 12.5 + ...). Inside the parenthesis is a [geometric series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric_series#Formula) which can be rewritten as 50 \* (1 + 1/2 + 1/4 + ...).

Now using the formula in the link we have `a = 50` and `r = 1/2` and the sum of this infinate series is 100. Multiply that by 210.000 and you get 21 million bitcoins total (actually a little less than that because a bitcoin is not infinately dividable).


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