Name: Bitcoin
Symbol: $BTC
Sign: ₿
Smallest Unit of BTC: Satoshi (SATs)
Creator: Satoshi Nakamoto (pseudonym)
Total Circulating Supply: Capped at 21 million
Current Circulating Supply: Approximately 19.7 million (as of November 2024)
Launched: January 2009
Purpose: A decentralized digital currency allowing peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries like banks.
Halving Mechanism: Bitcoin halvings are scheduled to occur once every 210,000 blocks – roughly every four years.
Historically, halvings have triggered significant price increases in the following months due to reduced supply.
First Halving: Nov 28' 2012 (25 BTC Minning Reward)
Latest Halving: April 2024 (3.125 BTC Minning Reward)
Next Halving: Expected in 2028 (1.5625 BTC Minning Reward)
Pioneer Status: The first cryptocurrency, spearheading the digital asset revolution.
Blockchain: A distributed ledger that records all transactions.
Consensus Mechanism: Proof-of-Work (PoW), requiring miners to solve complex mathematical problems to validate transactions.
Store of Value: Often referred to as "digital gold" due to its scarcity.
Decentralization: Operates without a central authority or government control.
Mining Network: Secured by a global network of miners who verify transactions and add them to the blockchain.
El Salvador: Adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021.
Institutional Interest: Companies like Tesla, MicroStrategy, and Square hold Bitcoin in their reserves.