$BTC Bitcoin (BTC) is a decentralized digital currency, meaning it operates without a central bank or single administrator. Created in 2009 by an anonymous entity known as Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin introduced the concept of cryptocurrency.

It functions on a public, distributed ledger called a blockchain, which records all transactions securely and transparently. Transactions are verified by a network of computers through a process called "mining," which adds new blocks to the chain and rewards miners with new BTC. Bitcoin's supply is limited to 21 million coins, a scarcity designed to maintain its value. It's used for peer-to-peer payments and as a store of value, often dubbed "digital gold."