Bitcoin is a digital currency that was created in January 2009. It follows the
ideas set out in a whitepaper by the mysterious and pseudonymous Satoshi
Nakamoto.1 The identity of the person or persons who created the technology
is still a mystery. Bitcoin offers the promise of lower transaction fees than
traditional online payment mechanisms and, unlike government-issued
currencies, it is operated by a decentralized authority.
Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency. There are no physical bitcoins, only
balances kept on a public ledger that everyone has transparent access to. All
bitcoin transactions are verified by a massive amount of computing power.
Bitcoins are not issued or backed by any banks or governments, nor are
individual bitcoins valuable as a commodity. Despite it not being legal
tender, Bitcoin is very popular and has triggered the launch of hundreds of
other cryptocurrencies, collectively referred to as altcoins. Bitcoin is
commonly abbreviated as "BTC."
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Launched in 2009, bitcoin is the world's largest cryptocurrency by market
capitalization.
Unlike fiat currency, bitcoin is created, distributed, traded, and stored with
the use of a decentralized ledger system, known as a blockchain.
Bitcoin's history as a store of value has been turbulent; the cryptocurrency
skyrocketed up to roughly $20,000 per coin in 2017, but less than years later,
it was trading for less than half of that.
As the earliest virtual currency to meet widespread popularity and success,
bitcoin has inspired a host of other cryptocurrencies in its wake.