The crypto industry has witnessed its fair share of ups and downs, with cryptocurrencies being highly volatile and affected by both bearish and bullish periods. Despite experiencing significant fluctuations, Bitcoin has maintained its position as the leading cryptocurrency, even though it dropped to less than $15,000 from its peak of nearly $70,000. Meanwhile, Ethereum reached an all-time high of almost $5,000 but later dipped to slightly over $1,000.
The concept of the "Flippening" has garnered considerable attention among crypto investors, speculating when and if Ethereum will overtake Bitcoin. This topic has been widely discussed for years, and enthusiasts continue to ponder the possibility until they receive definitive answers supported by concrete facts.
For the Flippening to occur, Ethereum's market capitalization needs to surpass that of Bitcoin. In the crypto industry, market capitalization holds great significance as it reflects the total value of a cryptocurrency, calculated by multiplying the total number of coins or tokens in circulation by their individual price.
Therefore, if Ethereum's price gradually surpasses that of Bitcoin or if the circulating supply of Ethereum exceeds that of Bitcoin, the Flippening will take place. The question then arises: how much should Ethereum's price or market capitalization increase for the Flippening to become a reality? Let's delve into the evolution of these two cryptocurrencies.
The Flippening: ETH vs. BTC
The term "Flippening" emerged when Bitcoin and Ethereum gained popularity. In the crypto industry, the Flippening refers to the possibility of Ethereum surpassing Bitcoin in terms of market capitalization. Although this term can apply to other tokens, it is predominantly used to describe the potential flippening between Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Over the years, numerous crypto enthusiasts have debated the likelihood of Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, overtaking Bitcoin. Some experts consider this event almost inevitable, with the question primarily being when it will happen rather than if.
To facilitate the Flippening, Ethereum's market capitalization must exceed Bitcoin's. As mentioned earlier, market capitalization is a crucial metric in the crypto space. During a bullish period in November 2021, when Bitcoin reached its all-time high of $68,789.63, and Ethereum peaked at $4,891, Bitcoin's market cap stood at $1,278,797,895,528, while Ethereum's market cap was $568.92 billion.
Hence, in those bullish conditions, for the flippening to occur, Ethereum would have needed a price of over $10,629.22, equivalent to Bitcoin's market cap.
Current Market Conditions
As of the time of writing, Ethereum is valued at approximately $1,903.60, with a market capitalization of $228,541,931,635. Conversely, Bitcoin is priced at $27,927, with a market capitalization of $540,685,183,980.
Under the current market conditions, Ethereum would need to achieve a price of over $4,492.14 to reach Bitcoin's market cap.
Factors Influencing Ethereum's Dominance
While Bitcoin and Ethereum share similarities as cryptocurrencies, they remain distinct entities. With the advent of Ethereum's transition from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS), known as "The Merge," these two largest cryptocurrencies have become even more divergent.
Ethereum's smart contracts system has gained significant traction within the crypto industry. While Bitcoin revolutionized the financial landscape and introduced a new concept, Ethereum took this concept and further enhanced it over time. With features like lower energy consumption, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and widespread adoption of smart contracts, Ethereum has established its prominence. Additionally, the Ethereum blockchain hosts a vast number of decentralized applications (Dapps).
Given these factors, Ethereum appears to be widely utilized in the crypto space. With ongoing updates and improvements, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency has the potential to surpass Bitcoin, which currently holds the top position. As mentioned earlier, the Flippening is more a matter of "when" than "if," and experts believe that this significant shift in the crypto industry may occur sooner than anticipated.
However, the likelihood of the Flippening depends heavily on crypto-related regulations. Recently, various financial institutions have shown resistance to such a change, with their regulatory efforts primarily targeting the entire crypto industry rather than solely Ethereum and Bitcoin. Consequently, whether the Flippening will transpire in the near future remains an uncertain question.
Final Thoughts
Bitcoin and Ethereum dominate the crypto landscape, with Bitcoin being the pioneering cryptocurrency and Ethereum closely following suit. Since their rise to popularity, many crypto enthusiasts have pondered one question: will Ethereum surpass Bitcoin?
Numerous experts believe that the Flippening is inevitable, but Ethereum must surpass Bitcoin's market capitalization, which poses a formidable challenge.
Nonetheless, the Flippening will become a reality if Ethereum continues to enhance its ecosystem. As the second-largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum is widely adopted and consistently introduces significant updates to the crypto sphere.