# Digital Scarcity

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Another pivotal concept introduced by Bitcoin is **digital scarcity**. Within the Bitcoin protocol, there exists a finite supply of bitcoins, capped at **21 million** created and set aside at the launch of the network. The smallest unit of a bitcoin, known as a **"satoshi,"** represents **1/100,000,000th** of a bitcoin.

This limitation on supply ensures that no more than 21 million bitcoins will ever be emitted through the **block reward subsidy**, establishing Bitcoin as a **digitally scarce asset**.

This scarcity mustn't be seen as a gimmick to pump the coin's price. Rather, the limitation on coin supply **incentivises miners to remain in the network** they've invested in thus far, to process millions and billions of **meaningful transactions** and **charge fees** as the block reward subsidy diminishes towards zero.


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