TL DR

Bitcoin has experienced five significant peaks in price since its creation in 2009. So far, the cryptocurrency has had an all-time high of roughly 64,000 US dollars and increased mainstream adoption. The journey has been volatile, often reacting to political, economic, and regulatory happenings.

Bitcoin has experienced, on average, 200% growth per year. As of August 2021, Bitcoin’s market cap is roughly $710,000,000,000 and its crypto market dominance is just under 50%.

Events like the Mt. Gox exchange hack of 2014 and the 2020 stock market crash can explain some short and mid-term price behavior. In the long run, you can get a macro view by looking at models that use technical, fundamental, and sentiment analysis.

For technical analysis, Bitcoin’s Logarithmic Growth Curve and the Hyperwave Theory are two interesting models. The Hyperwave Theory also ties price into investor sentiment in cyclical phases. When it comes to fundamental analysis, the Stock to Flow and Metcalfe models track Bitcoin’s price reasonably well. Ultimately, you could use a combination of all of these methods to get a balanced view.