A hard cap is the maximum supply of a cryptocurrency, hardcoded into the blockchain, which ensures scarcity and helps maintain value. Bitcoin, created with a cap of 21 million coins by Satoshi Nakamoto, emphasizes this principle, as no more coins can be mined after reaching this limit. The hard cap is crucial for Bitcoin’s status as a store of value and provides a predictable monetary policy through halving events that reduce mining rewards over time. Changing the cap would undermine trust, trigger market panic, and likely lead to a hard fork, similar to past disputes in Bitcoin’s history. While discussions have emerged about the necessity of introducing inflation or changing core rules, the fierce resistance from the community is expected to maintain the integrity of the hard cap. The probability of changing Bitcoin’s supply cap is low, as it would counter the foundational trust and principles established over the years, indicating that Bitcoin's rarity is here to stay.

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