Bitcoin has a hard cap of 21 million coins. That number was written into its source code by its pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, and it cannot be changed without consensus from the entire network. As of 2026, approximately 93.3% of all Bitcoin has already been mined, with the remaining supply set to trickle out through a halving schedule that extends to roughly the year 2140. The question of what happens when the last Bitcoin is mined is more than a thought experiment. It touches on network security, miner economics, transaction fees, and Bitcoin’s role in the broader financial system. Understanding the answer ... (full story)