In 2008, amid the global financial crisis, a technical document emerged from an anonymous entity known as #Satoshi_Nakamoto . This document proposed $BTC , a peer-to-peer electronic cash system that eliminated the need for intermediaries like banks.

In 2009, the Bitcoin software was launched and the first block, known as the genesis block, was mined. Initially, Bitcoin had little value and was adopted mainly by cryptographers and tech enthusiasts.

As more people began to use and invest in #bitcoin , its value started to increase. In 2010, the first real-world transaction with Bitcoin took place: two pizzas were purchased for 10,000 BTC.

Over the years, Bitcoin has experienced significant growth, attracting the attention of institutional investors, companies, and the general public. It has faced price volatility, regulatory scrutiny, and controversies, but it has remained the dominant cryptocurrency, paving the way for thousands of other digital currencies.