Bitcoin (BTC) is the world's first decentralized digital currency, created in 2009 by an anonymous entity named Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a peer-to-peer network, enabling secure transactions without the need for intermediaries like banks. All transactions are recorded on a public, distributed ledger called the blockchain, secured by cryptography.
BTC is "mined" by powerful computers solving complex puzzles, a process that adds new blocks of transactions to the blockchain and rewards miners with new bitcoins. With a finite supply capped at 21 million, Bitcoin is often seen as a digital store of value, attracting investors despite its price volatility.