Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin (BTC) is the first and largest cryptocurrency, launched in January 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, who published the original white paper a few months earlier. It introduced a peer-to-peer electronic cash system secured by proof-of-work mining and a fixed supply capped at 21 million coins, making scarcity a core part of its design. Unlike money issued by a central bank, no single party controls Bitcoin: its ledger is maintained by thousands of independent nodes around the world that each validate every transaction against the same consensus rules, and miners compete to add new blocks roughly every ten minutes.

Bitcoin's primary use today is as a store of value and a settlement network, often described as "digital gold". Its block reward halves roughly every four years — an event known as the halving that the market watches closely — gradually slowing issuance until the last coin is mined around the year 2140. Because it is the most liquid and widely held digital asset, Bitcoin's price often sets the tone for the rest of the crypto market, and "Bitcoin dominance", the share of total crypto value held in BTC, is a common gauge of risk appetite across the sector. Large holders, exchange-traded funds and corporate treasuries have all become part of its ownership base in recent years.

For newcomers, the most important properties to understand are its capped supply, its decentralised security model, and its volatility. Bitcoin has experienced multiple drawdowns of more than 70% from prior highs, alongside long-run appreciation over its history, and individual years have ranged from spectacular gains to deep losses. None of that history guarantees future results, and past performance is never a promise of what comes next. This page is information only and is not financial advice; always do your own research and consider your own circumstances before making any decision.

You can hold Bitcoin on a regulated exchange for convenience, but you won't control the private keys — "not your keys, not your coins". For meaningful amounts, many holders move BTC to a self-custody wallet. A hardware wallet (a small offline device such as a Ledger or Trezor) keeps your keys off any internet-connected computer and signs transactions on-device, which materially reduces the risk of remote theft.

Whatever you choose, the recovery phrase — typically 12 or 24 words generated when you set up the wallet — is the master backup. Write it down on paper or metal, store copies in separate secure locations, and never type it into a website or share it with anyone. Anyone with the phrase can move your coins. This is general information, not security or financial advice.