The core idea
Bitcoin was proposed in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto in a 9-page whitepaper. It solves the 'double-spend' problem digitally — how do you prove a digital token hasn't been copied? — without trusting a central authority.
Key properties
These properties make Bitcoin behave differently from any traditional asset.
- →Fixed supply: 21 million BTC will ever exist, hard-coded in the protocol
- →Decentralised: tens of thousands of nodes worldwide enforce the rules
- →Permissionless: anyone can send, receive, or run a node — no signup
- →Pseudonymous: addresses are public but not linked to identity by default
- →Programmatic issuance: new BTC is created via mining, with rewards halving every 4 years
Why it matters for traders
Bitcoin's price tends to lead the broader crypto market — when BTC rallies, alts often follow with a delay; when BTC dumps, alts usually drop harder. The 4-year halving cycle (next: 2028) has historically preceded major bull runs.