$BTC Bitcoin (BTC) is the world's first decentralized digital currency, created in 2009 by an anonymous entity known as Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a technology called blockchain, a public, immutable ledger that records all transactions across a global network of computers. This eliminates the need for central authorities like banks, allowing peer-to-peer transactions.

Bitcoins are "mined" by powerful computers solving complex mathematical problems, which also verifies transactions and adds them to the blockchain. With a finite supply of 21 million coins, Bitcoin is often called "digital gold" and serves as both a medium of exchange and a store of value.