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As a Bitcoin investor, you're holding one of the most unique assets on the planet (at least for now). It is intangible yet has enormous value due to its scarcity and demand. Because of the value Bitcoin holds, it is a target for hackers and thieves. The number one factor keeping them from hacking the blockchain and stealing everyone's bitcoins is the strength of the network.

Investors should consider running full Bitcoin nodes because it helps secure their investment. Here's how it works.

Why Run a Full Node?

For Bitcoin investors, a full node serves two purposes -- it contributes to the health and security of the Bitcoin blockchain and provides an opportunity to earn more. The blockchain's integrity is important as the blockchain is used to process transactions and record ownership.

There are two types of Bitcoin nodes: full and lightweight. The lightweight nodes only download and compare block headers and hashes to validate transactions -- something a Raspberry Pi or smartphone can do. Full nodes are the workhorses of the blockchain, generating trillions of hashes per second to guess the correct hash and have their block added to the blockchain while validating transactions. This process is called "mining," and the nodes performing it are called "miners."

The more miners there are on the network, the more secure it is. Each miner adds computational power to the network, increasing its ability to generate hashes. The number of blocks proposed per period won't change, but the faster the network is, the harder it is for hackers to attack. If the number of miners starts to fall, the network would slow down. If too many stop mining, the blockchain can become vulnerable.

So, an investor who runs a full node is essentially helping secure their investment because they are speeding up the network that much more. If they add their node to a mining pool, it's even possible to earn more bitcoins.

How to Setup a Full Node

Setting up a full node is fairly easy. There are three methods by which you can set up your own full node.

Cloud

The first method involves running a node in the cloud. You will need to set yourself up with an account on either Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google Cloud. Subsequently, you will need to create a virtual machine (VM) instance to speed up the connection and syncing to the cloud from your machine.

Make sure that you configure firewall rules to ensure that your instance is not easily breached. Finally, you will need to download Bitcoin Core, the software required to run Bitcoin and configure the appropriate port settings on your computer.

Local

The second method is similar to the first, except this time, Bitcoin Core is run on your local machine. Running a Bitcoin node requires a minimum of 700 gigabytes of disk space and 2 gigabytes of RAM. You should also have a broadband internet connection. If you have upload and download limits, they should be generous. Having a connection with no limits on uploads and downloads is preferable.

Several websites and videos list instructions to configure the Bitcoin Core client. The first instance of downloading and syncing with Bitcoin's blockchain could take several days. However, subsequent instances should be quicker.

Pre-Configured

The third method for setting up a Bitcoin full node is the "node-in-a-box" option. As the name indicates, this method consists of pre-configured Bitcoin full nodes that can be hooked onto your computer. They come with an interface for you to manage the device and view data contained on it. In effect, this option outsources the grunt work of downloading and storing the Bitcoin blockchain on an external device that is mobile and consumes less power compared to your own personal system.

Special Considerations

When you run a node, you'll need to be sure to update it whenever the blockchain is updated. This way, you ensure you're not mining a version not compatible with the new one.

Joining a mining pool is the only way to profitably mine Bitcoin, but if your intent is only to help secure the network, you might not worry about profits. If that is the case, you can use your home computer and add it to a pool. An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) miner can also help secure the network and possibly earn you a bit more. They are much faster than home computers but use much more electricity.

The Bottom Line

While running a full node is not necessary, investors should consider what it does for them and their investment. The more full nodes a blockchain has participating, the more secure it is, in addition to the possibility of more bitcoin rewards.