$BTC BTC, or Bitcoin, is the world's first decentralized digital currency, created in 2009 by the anonymous entity Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a peer-to-peer network, enabling direct transactions without central banks or intermediaries.

Transactions are recorded on a public, distributed ledger called the blockchain, secured by cryptography. This process, known as "mining," involves powerful computers solving complex problems to verify transactions and add new blocks to the chain, earning new bitcoins as a reward. Bitcoin has a finite supply of 21 million coins, contributing to its "digital gold" appeal and use as a store of value and investment.