$BTC Bitcoin (BTC), launched in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, is the first decentralized cryptocurrency, operating on a peer-to-peer blockchain. It enables secure, transparent transactions without intermediaries, using cryptographic proof-of-work to validate them. With a fixed supply cap of 21 million coins, BTC aims to be a store of value and hedge against inflation. Its price, highly volatile, has surged from cents to peaks above $100,000, driven by adoption, institutional interest, and halving events reducing miner rewards. Despite regulatory scrutiny and environmental concerns over mining energy use, BTC remains the dominant crypto, fueling innovation in DeFi and digital finance, with growing acceptance as a payment method.