Explained
What Does “Decentralised” Actually Mean?
In plain English It is a spectrum, not a yes or no, and a great deal of crypto marketed as decentralised is not especially so.
Bitcoin Price
BTC · rank #1
$63,981.74
-0.39%
past 24 hours
Prices update about once a minute and come from public market data, proxied by us. They are for information, not a recommendation to buy or sell anything.
Market cap
$1.28T
24h volume
$66.33B
Circulating
19,970,852 BTC
Maximum supply
21,000,000 BTC
Bitcoin price history
Past prices tell you what already happened. They are not a forecast, and crypto has no obligation to repeat itself.
What is Bitcoin, simply?
Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency, launched in 2009 by an anonymous creator (or group) known only by the name Satoshi Nakamoto. It was designed as digital money that no bank, company, or government controls — instead, a global network of independent computers maintains a shared record of every transaction ever made, and no single participant can change that record alone. Bitcoin has a fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins, ever — a hard limit built into its code, unlike most traditional currencies, which central banks can create more of over time.
A simple way to picture it
Bitcoin is often compared to digital gold: something scarce, not controlled by any single authority, and valued partly because it can't simply be created on demand. Like gold, it doesn't pay interest and doesn't represent ownership of a company — its value comes entirely from what people are willing to trade it for.
Should BTC be your first crypto?
Bitcoin is the most established, longest-running, and most widely recognised cryptocurrency, which is why many beginners start by learning about it first — not because anyone should tell you to buy it. It carries the same volatility and risk as the rest of crypto: prices have fallen more than 50% within a single year before, more than once. Whether it belongs in your first purchase is a personal decision based on your own understanding and risk tolerance, not something we'll answer for you.
If you do buy BTC, store it safely
Crypto left on an exchange is held by that exchange, not by you. For anything you would mind losing, move it to a wallet whose keys you control, and write the recovery phrase on paper — never in a photo, a notes app or an email. No exchange, wallet, support agent or website, including this one, will ever need your seed phrase. Anyone who asks for it is stealing from you.
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Bitcoin questions beginners ask
Who created Bitcoin?
An anonymous person or group using the name Satoshi Nakamoto published Bitcoin's design in 2008 and launched the network in 2009. Their real identity has never been confirmed.
Why is there a 21 million coin limit?
It was a deliberate design choice, built into Bitcoin's original code, intended to make it scarce in a way traditional currencies — which central banks can create more of — are not.
Can Bitcoin be shut down?
Because it runs on thousands of independent computers worldwide rather than one central server, there is no single point that can be switched off. Individual countries can restrict access within their own borders, but they cannot unilaterally shut down the global network.
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Bitcoin categories & ecosystems
- Payments Built mainly to move value between people.
Coins related to Bitcoin
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In-depth guides
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What Is a Blockchain, Actually?
The word behind every crypto headline, explained without a single buzzword.
What Is a Crypto Wallet?
The plain-English answer to a question a lot of beginners feel embarrassed to ask.
How to Choose a Crypto Exchange as a Beginner
A handful of things actually worth checking before you sign up anywhere — and a few that matter…
How to Set Up a Hardware Wallet
A physical device for holding your keys offline — worth it once your holdings grow. Here is how…