A hard cap refers to the maximum supply of a cryptocurrency that can exist, hardcoded in its blockchain. Bitcoin's creator set a hard cap of 21 million coins, ensuring scarcity akin to digital gold. This limit enhances value as demand rises, unlike gold, whose supply can increase with easier mining techniques. Bitcoin's supply is predictable, with less than 1.2 million coins remaining to be mined as of 2025. Discussions about changing the hard cap have emerged, mainly due to concerns about miners' incentives as rewards dwindle. However, any attempts to alter this fundamental aspect would likely cause a loss of trust and a potential hard fork in the community. Bitcoin's essence relies on its fixed supply and decentralized nature, and while technically feasible, changing this hard cap is improbable given the community's resistance. The hard cap embodies a promise to maintain Bitcoin's scarcity, making it a unique asset.

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