#BTC☀ The decentralized digital currency known as Bitcoin was developed in 2009 under the pseudonym **Satoshi Nakamoto** by an unidentified person or group. It uses blockchain technology to guarantee safe and transparent transactions and functions without a central authority like a bank or government.

The following are Bitcoin's salient features:

1. **Decentralization**: The blockchain, a public ledger that is kept up to date by a global network of computers (nodes), is where Bitcoin transactions are recorded.

2. **Limited Supply**: Bitcoin is a deflationary asset since there will only ever be 21 million of them.

3. **Peer-to-Peer Transactions**: Bitcoin enables user-to-user transfers without the need for middlemen, which lowers transaction costs and boosts efficiency.

4. **Security**: Cryptography protects transactions, and Bitcoin verifies transactions via a consensus process known as **Proof of Work** (PoW).

5. **Online