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Bitcoin

April

Bitcoin Runes has regained its top position in the Bitcoin network by surpassing the original Bitcoin, Ordinals and BRC-20 tokens in terms of daily transactions.
The Runes protocol launched on April 20 — coinciding with <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-halving-2024">the fourth Bitcoin halving</a> — to increase efficiency on BRC-20, an experimental standard for fungible tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain. 
<a href="https://dune.com/cryptokoryo/runes" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Data</a> from Dune Analytics shows that Runes-related transactions made up a majority of the transactions on the Bitcoin network until April 24.
Runes claimed the highest transaction share, 81.3%, on April 23, pushing the Bitcoin (<a href="https://cointelegraph.com/bitcoin-price">BTC</a>)&nbsp;transaction share down to 18.15%, with Ordinals and BRC-20 transactions at 0.1% each. However, Runes transactions dwindled consistently over the next nine days until May 2. 
<figure data-ct-non-breakable="true">
 <img src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2024-05/01600b8f-86e8-46bd-8f63-d322bf68d814.png" alt="" title="">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Share of transactions over the Bitcoin network by type of protocol. Source: Dune Analytics
 </figcaption>
</figure>
As shown above, Runes began to recover from May 3. In the following days, on May 4 and 5, Runes regained its transaction share above 60%. 
Related: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/solo-bitcoin-miner-solves-valid-block-post-halving">Solo Bitcoin miner wins the 3.125 BTC lottery, solving valid block</a>
While the rapid increase in the number of transactions inadvertently increases the network fees, it often works in the favor of Bitcoin miners. The Runes protocol racked up 2,253 BTC in fees for the mining community in 16 days.
<figure data-ct-non-breakable="true">
 <img src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2024-05/63994030-2534-4ece-9871-65ef632d4bb7.png" alt="" title="">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Transaction fees related to Bitcoin Runes. Source: Dune Analytics
 </figcaption>
</figure>
The mining community welcomes rising fees as their earnings dropped significantly following the Bitcoin halving. In May, total revenue for Bitcoin miners dropped to under $30 million per day.
To maintain profitability, miners have resorted to upgrading their current technology stack with highly efficient mining rigs to reduce operating costs and improve performance and profitability. 
Bitcoin mining firm Bitfarms allotted $240 million for its upgrade, which would eventually triple its hash rate to 21 exahashes per second. Additionally, Bitfarms sold nearly all the Bitcoin it mined over the past two months as it continues to reinvest into growing its mining fleet.
Magazine: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/cz-gets-jail-sentence-gensler-viewed-ether-as-security-and-fbi-targets-mixers-hodlers-digest-april-28-may-4/">CZ gets jail sentence, Gensler viewed Ether as security, and FBI targets mixers: Hodler’s Digest, April 28 – May 4</a>

Bitcoin Runes reclaim dominance over BTC transactions

Cointelegraph

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