Could you elaborate on the concept of 'Bitcoin block reward' for those who are not deeply familiar with the 
cryptocurrency ecosystem? I understand it's somehow linked to the mining process, but I'm curious to know exactly how it works. Is it a reward given to miners for successfully solving complex cryptographic puzzles? How often does this reward get issued? And how does it affect the overall supply of Bitcoin in circulation? A concise yet comprehensive explanation would be greatly appreciated.
            
            
            
            
            
            
           
          
          
            5 answers
            
            
  
    
    Martina
    Mon Jul 08 2024
   
  
    The Bitcoin block reward represents the allocation of fresh bitcoins by the network to miners for their successful validation of each block. 
  
  
 
            
            
  
    
    LightningStrike
    Mon Jul 08 2024
   
  
    The determination of this block reward is governed by a predefined schedule set by Bitcoin's founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. 
  
  
 
            
            
  
    
    mia_rose_painter
    Mon Jul 08 2024
   
  
    When Bitcoin was first introduced, Nakamoto established a diminishing block reward system to ensure a controlled supply of bitcoins over time. 
  
  
 
            
            
  
    
    CryptoWizardry
    Mon Jul 08 2024
   
  
    Initially, the block reward was set at 50 bitcoins per block. However, the reward halves every 210,000 blocks, a process known as halving. 
  
  
 
            
            
  
    
    Chiara
    Sun Jul 07 2024
   
  
    This halving schedule is embedded into the Bitcoin protocol and follows a predetermined timeline, ensuring the total number of bitcoins to ever exist is capped at 21 million.