Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin Live Chart
About Bitcoin (BTC)
Bitcoin (BTC) is the world's first and most valuable cryptocurrency, created in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a decentralized peer-to-peer network, allowing direct financial transactions without intermediaries like banks or governments.
At its core, Bitcoin uses blockchain technology — a distributed ledger that records all transactions across thousands of computers globally. This design makes Bitcoin censorship-resistant, transparent, and immutable. New bitcoins are created through a process called mining, where powerful computers solve complex mathematical puzzles to validate transactions.
Bitcoin has a fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins, making it inherently deflationary. Approximately every four years, an event called the "halving" reduces the mining reward by 50%, historically preceding major bull markets. The most recent halvings occurred in 2020 and 2024.
Institutional adoption has accelerated significantly, with major companies, hedge funds, and even nation-states holding Bitcoin as a reserve asset. The approval of Bitcoin ETFs in the United States marked a watershed moment, opening the asset class to traditional investors.
Bitcoin is widely regarded as "digital gold" — a store of value and hedge against inflation. Its market dominance typically influences the entire crypto market, making BTC price movements a key indicator for traders and investors worldwide.