Lost Bitcoins and how they affect market in a longterm?

[Vinalians]

Well, I still didn't see anything on the bitcoin news that devs are discussing it because in my opinion there is no bad effect on the market and it has a good effect on the market right? Lost BTC's are also contributing on the current value it is simply because they are not burnt.
If happen that bitcoin really reach its maximum supply sold for sure the lost BTC's will surely discuss by devs.

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[Linkkoin]

That is, until and unless quantum computers begin threatening Bitcoin's signature algorithm in the next decade or two. Once that happens, any lost bitcoins held on exposed public keys (like most of the Satoshi coins) or reused addresses are at risk of being stolen and recirculated into the supply.
 

If quantum can become capable to be used for breaking algorithm, there is a very high chance it can be used for security purposes. But in general, during websummit we had a chance to ask people from IBM quantum computer department and they claimed that they are years from getting enough computing power capable for that.

[muhhentuhhen]

They effectively reduce the total availble supply of bitcoins in the world thus making each remaining bitcoin in theory. As what we perceive, rarity is almost always tied with value, so less available bitcoins = higher value per bitcoin remaining. We might not see the effects of such yet in the market knowing that we still have 4 or so million bitcoins left to mine and will take the next 120 yrs to mine them. Also, bitcoin is still heavily effected by speculation, and perhaps will continue to do so until such time that its value goes through the roof that people would just keep it rather than risk losing it in trades.

Yes, they do. More than 4 millions of Bitcoin were lost! Just imagine this fantastic sum! In the future, Bitcoins will be lost as well, however, this indicator will decrease significantly, since their current value surely motivates people to be more attentive to their crypto.

[shield132]

I'm trying to figure what's the effect of all lost coins in a longterm

I understand all lost BTC are in blockchain, they are not "lost", but people probably forgot them or lost the private keys to access
People only says it's good because of the scarcity, our "active" BTC will value more

But all energy and efforts to generate these BTC are for nothing to?
Is there any word of the devs about this?
Do you think someday devs will discuss about?

At first there was little energy/affort for generating bitcoin, all of these changed after long term so I think yeah, lost bitcoins will give more value to active ones.
Despite the fact that they are in Blockchain, they are lost like a lot of people who are in our memory but are gone. So this lost numbers of bitcoins still can affect pricr at some point but in overall, they are lost, aren't part of active coins and price fully comes on active ones.

[ccryptopark]

That's why it could be quite important to have cyber security firms like ciphertrace to help track down these lost bitcoins....

Definitely affects the market as a whole not only the value but adoption. People don't trust in the system

[adzino]

I'm trying to figure what's the effect of all lost coins in a longterm

I understand all lost BTC are in blockchain, they are not "lost", but people probably forgot them or lost the private keys to access
People only says it's good because of the scarcity, our "active" BTC will value more

But all energy and efforts to generate these BTC are for nothing to?
Is there any word of the devs about this?
Do you think someday devs will discuss about?

They are lost (not lost but can not be accessed) forever. That is it. No change should be bought. Let it be like that. How would you different coins that has been lost with those coins that are stored by people for a very very long term? It creates scarcity which is actually good. All energy and efforts to generate those BTC were not a waste. Those effort can be compensated by the increase of the value due to scarcity being created.

[boyptc]

But all energy and efforts to generate these BTC are for nothing to?

No, it's a lost for the ones who owned but it's a gain for most.

Is there any word of the devs about this?

How about burned? just like the term that ICOs used before.

Do you think someday devs will discuss about?

I don't think so, there's no way to retrieve those lost bitcoins as they're lost forever.

[uneng]

But all energy and efforts to generate these BTC are for nothing to?
Is there any word of the devs about this?
Do you think someday devs will discuss about?

Probably the energy used to mine these btcs were too little, as most lost bitcoins were lost on the first years, when they weren't so valuable, then people didn't care too much about their coins. Actually, nobody is worried about these lost bitcoins, because it will be good for btc price on long run, as scarcity helps the currency demand to increase, furthermore there isn't what to discuss about it, what is lost is lost.

It's like a lost private property: if someone else tries to find or claim it, he will be invading something that doesn't belong to him, that would dirty bitcoin proposal and concept.

[Alpha0One1]

The more bitcoins are lost and could not be recovered by previous owners means lower supply and will increase the value of btc.
This is an old article but 4 million btc have been lost -> http://fortune.com/2017/11/25/lost-bitcoins/