$BTC

Gavin Andresen stated that the first topic he focused on after Nakamoto's withdrawal from the project was decentralization. Andresen wanted Bitcoin to continue to exist independently, even if a bus hit him.

For many, the main advantage of Bitcoin is its independence from governments, banks, and companies. No authority can interfere with Bitcoin transactions, charge transaction fees, or seize money. Furthermore, Bitcoin movements are quite transparent – all transactions are stored in a massive distributed public ledger called the blockchain.

While Bitcoin cannot be controlled as a network, it offers its users complete control over their assets.