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Editorial reference

Bitcoin BTC

Fresh · updated in last 10 min
Source · diadata · Sat, 01 Aug 2026 13:59:59 GMT
Price (USD)
$63,008
-0.28% 24h
24h volume
$4.54B

Overview

Bitcoin is a decentralized peer-to-peer digital currency and settlement network, introduced in a 2008 white paper by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto and launched in January 2009. It is the largest crypto asset by market capitalization and has a fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins.

Origin & history

Nakamoto published the Bitcoin white paper on 31 October 2008 and mined the genesis block on 3 January 2009. Development has since been maintained by a distributed community of open-source contributors coordinating through Bitcoin Core and the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) process.

Founders & governance

Attributed to the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. Identity has never been verified. Ongoing protocol maintenance is community-led rather than corporate.

How it works

Bitcoin uses a Nakamoto-consensus proof-of-work chain. Miners spend electricity to extend the longest valid chain, and the network adjusts difficulty every 2,016 blocks so blocks arrive roughly every ten minutes. Full nodes independently validate consensus rules and transactions.

Tokenomics & supply

Fixed maximum supply of 21,000,000 BTC. Block subsidy halves roughly every four years; after the 2024 halving the subsidy is 3.125 BTC per block. New issuance falls to effectively zero by the 2140s.

Utility & use cases

Bitcoin is used as a settlement layer for native BTC transfers, as a reserve asset by public companies and funds, and as collateral in regulated products such as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs approved in January 2024. Layer-two systems (notably the Lightning Network) enable low-latency payments anchored to Bitcoin's base chain.

Ecosystem

Reference implementations include Bitcoin Core; other clients (Bitcoin Knots, btcd) also participate. Layer-two and side-system projects include the Lightning Network, Liquid, and various rollup and covenant proposals under active discussion in the BIP process.

Wallets & custody

Custody options range from self-custody (hardware wallets, multi-sig setups) to regulated custodians. Spot BTC ETFs offer indirect exposure via traditional brokerages in several jurisdictions.

Regulatory notes

Regulatory treatment varies. Multiple jurisdictions treat Bitcoin as a commodity or property for tax purposes; MiCA in the EU covers surrounding service providers. Nothing on this page is legal, tax, or investment advice.

Milestones

  1. 2008
    White paper
    Nakamoto publishes the Bitcoin white paper.
  2. 2009
    Genesis block
    The first Bitcoin block is mined.
  3. 2010
    First commercial transaction
    10,000 BTC used to pay for two pizzas.
  4. 2017
    SegWit activation
    Segregated Witness activates, enabling Lightning and future upgrades.
  5. 2021
    Taproot
    Taproot activates, adding Schnorr signatures and new script flexibility.
  6. 2024
    Spot ETFs approved
    U.S. SEC approves multiple spot Bitcoin ETFs.
  7. 2024
    Fourth halving
    Block subsidy reduced to 3.125 BTC.

FAQs

Who created Bitcoin?
The pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto published the white paper in 2008 and mined the first block in 2009. Their real identity has never been confirmed.
What is the maximum supply?
21 million BTC. The block reward halves roughly every four years until issuance effectively ends in the 2140s.
How are transactions confirmed?
Miners compete to extend the chain through proof of work; nodes independently validate blocks against consensus rules.
Is Bitcoin anonymous?
No. Bitcoin is pseudonymous — addresses do not carry identity by default, but the ledger is public and analyzable.

Official links

Primary sources

This page is editorial reference material. Nothing on this page is investment, legal, or tax advice. Last reviewed 7/24/2026.