Bitcoin is the first decentralized cryptocurrency, operating without a central bank or single administrator. It can be sent from user to user on the peer-to-peer Bitcoin network without the need for intermediaries.
Introduced in 2009 by an unknown person using the name Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin sparked the creation of thousands of other cryptocurrencies. It has become the leading cryptocurrency by market cap and is seen as both an investment asset and a means of payment.
