Definition

Realized price and regular price (often referred to as spot price) are two different concepts in the context of assets like Bitcoin.
1. Spot Price (Regular Price): The spot price, also known as the regular price, is the current market price of an asset at any given moment. It's the price at which an asset can be bought or sold on the market, representing the most recent transaction. It's the value you would typically see on financial news platforms, exchanges, and price charts.
2. Realized Price: The realized price takes into account the historical acquisition prices of an asset. It's calculated by dividing the total cost of acquiring all units of an asset by the total number of units acquired. This metric provides an average acquisition price based on past transactions rather than the current market price.

The importance of realized price lies in its ability to provide a more nuanced understanding of the average cost basis for holders of an asset. Here's why it's significant:
1. Accounting for Varied Purchase Prices: When people acquire an asset like Bitcoin over time, they may do so at different price points. The realized price reflects the average price at which holders actually acquired their assets. This can give a more accurate picture of the economic reality for long-term holders, especially in situations where different amounts were purchased at different times.
2. Long-Term Holder Perspective: Realized price can be particularly relevant for long-term holders who are interested in understanding their investment's performance over time. It allows them to see how the average price they paid compares to the current market price. This perspective can be helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of their investment strategy.
3. Supply Considerations: Realized price can offer insights into market sentiment. For example, if the current market price is significantly above the realized price, it could indicate that a majority of holders acquired their assets at lower prices and are potentially less likely to sell, which might contribute to a lower immediate supply.
4. Cycle Analysis: In the context of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, realized price has been used in market cycle analysis. Historically, market cycles have been associated with certain patterns related to the gap between realized price and market price. Analyzing these patterns might provide insights into potential market trends.

In summary, while the regular price (spot price) provides the most recent market valuation, the realized price gives a retrospective view of the average cost basis of holders. Both metrics are important in understanding different aspects of the market, investor behavior, and the overall performance of an asset.

Example

Let's make an example with the following Bitcoin transactions:

1. Alice bought 1 BTC at $10,000.

2. Bob bought 0.5 BTC at $8,000.

3. Carol bought 2 BTC at $12,000.

4. David bought 1.5 BTC at $9,500.

Now, let's calculate the realized price at a specific point in time. For this example, let's assume we're calculating the realized price when Bitcoin's price is $15,000.
The realized price is the average price at which all the currently held Bitcoin was acquired. It takes into account different purchase prices and quantities.

Total BTC acquired = 1 + 0.5 + 2 + 1.5 = 5 BTC

Total cost of acquiring all BTC = (1 * $10,000) + (0.5 * $8,000) + (2 * $12,000) + (1.5 * $9,500) = $10,000 + $4,000 + $24,000 + $14,250 = $52,250

Realized price = Total cost of acquiring all BTC / Total BTC acquired = $52,250 / 5 = $10,450

So, in this fictional example, the realized price of Bitcoin would be $10,450 when the current market price is $15,000.
Remember that this is just a simplified example, and real-world scenarios can be more complex due to factors such as fees, multiple transactions, and changes in supply and demand. For the most accurate and up-to-date realized price information, you should refer to a reliable financial data source or platform.

Resources

Live chart of Bitcoin's Realized Price on Look into Bitcoin: https://www.lookintobitcoin.com/charts/realized-price/