#CryptoCharts101 #BTCETH
Bitcoin (BTC) is the first and most well-known **cryptocurrency**, created in 2009 by an anonymous person (or group) using the pseudonym **Satoshi Nakamoto**. It introduced the concept of a **decentralized digital currency** powered by blockchain technology.
### **Key Features of Bitcoin (BTC):**
1. **Decentralization**
- No central authority (like a bank or government) controls Bitcoin.
- Transactions are verified by a **peer-to-peer (P2P) network** of miners.
2. **Limited Supply (Scarcity)**
- Only **21 million BTC** will ever exist (expected to be fully mined by ~2140).
- This scarcity is why Bitcoin is often called "digital gold."
3. **Blockchain Technology**
- Transactions are recorded on a **public ledger** (blockchain), ensuring transparency and security.
- Each block is secured using **cryptography** (SHA-256 hashing).
4. **Mining & Proof-of-Work (PoW)**
- Miners use computing power to solve complex math problems, validating transactions and earning BTC as rewards.
- Halving events occur every **4 years**, reducing mining rewards by 50% (next in **2024**, then 2028, etc.).