Bitcoin is the world's first decentralized cryptocurrency, created in 2009 by an anonymous entity known as Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a public, distributed ledger technology called a blockchain, which is a shared record of all transactions maintained by a network of computers (nodes). The mission, as outlined in the original whitepaper, was to create a "peer-to-peer electronic cash system" that allows online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution. As an open-source project, Bitcoin is not owned or controlled by any single person or organization; its development and maintenance are carried out by a global community of volunteer developers.

Founded in

United States