Bitcoin
The first and largest cryptocurrency. A decentralized, digital monetary system without central authority.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is a digital currency introduced in 2009 by an unknown person or group under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. It is the first successful implementation of a cryptocurrency and has revolutionized the financial world.
Birth Year
2009
Maximum Supply
21,000,000 BTC
Block Time
~10 Minutes
Consensus
Proof of Work
Bitcoin Properties
Decentralized
No single point of control. The network is operated by thousands of nodes worldwide.
Secure
Extremely secure against attacks through cryptography and the world's largest computer network.
Limited
Only 21 million Bitcoin will ever exist. This scarcity makes Bitcoin valuable.
Global
Borderless transactions. Bitcoin can be sent and received anywhere in the world.
Pseudonymous
Transactions are public, but user identities remain private.
Immutable
Once confirmed, transactions cannot be reversed or altered.
How Does Bitcoin Work?
Transactions
Users send Bitcoin from their wallet to another address. Each transaction is digitally signed.
Mempool
Unconfirmed transactions wait in the mempool to be included in a block by miners.
Mining
Miners compete to solve complex mathematical puzzles to create a new block.
Block Confirmation
A new block is added to the blockchain and all nodes update their copy of the blockchain.
Finality
After several confirmations, a transaction is considered immutable and final.
Bitcoin as Digital Gold
Bitcoin is often called "digital gold" because it shares many properties with the precious metal:
Similarities
- ✓Scarcity and limited supply
- ✓Store of value
- ✓Independent from governments
- ✓Divisible
Bitcoin Advantages
- ✓Easy to transport
- ✓Programmable
- ✓Transparently verifiable
- ✓24/7 tradeable
Getting Started with Bitcoin
Buy Bitcoin
- • Choose crypto exchange
- • Verify account
- • Deposit funds
- • Buy Bitcoin
Store Bitcoin Safely
- • Use hardware wallet
- • Secure private keys
- • Create backup
- • Never share keys
Start Your Bitcoin Journey
Learn everything about Bitcoin from an expert with years of experience.