$BTC Bitcoin (BTC) is a decentralized digital currency invented in 2009 by an unknown person or group using the name Satoshi Nakamoto. It allows peer-to-peer transactions without the need for a central authority like a bank. Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded on a public ledger called the blockchain. Bitcoin is created as a reward for mining, a process where computers solve complex mathematical problems. Its limited supply of 21 million coins makes it deflationary. Bitcoin is widely seen as both a store of value and a speculative asset, often referred to as "digital gold."