Bitcoin (BTC) was created by an individual or group of individuals operating under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto first proposed the idea of Bitcoin in a whitepaper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System," which was published in October 2008. The true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto remains unknown, and it is speculated that the name may represent a person or a group of developers.

The Bitcoin network went live on January 3, 2009, with the mining of the genesis block, also known as Block 0. Nakamoto was actively involved in the early development of Bitcoin, collaborating with other developers and community members through online forums and email communication. However, Nakamoto gradually stepped back from the project around 2010 and handed over control to other developers.

Since its inception, Bitcoin has grown into the largest and most well-known cryptocurrency, sparking the creation of thousands of other cryptocurrencies and blockchain projects. Its decentralized nature, security features, and limited supply have contributed to its widespread adoption and continued relevance in the digital asset space.