Bitcoin (BTC) was born on January 3, 2009, introduced by a mysterious individual or group known as Satoshi Nakamoto.
It was merely an exploration within small circles like cryptography enthusiasts, with almost no value or attention. However, over time, its features such as decentralization, anonymity, and fixed supply have gradually been recognized. In May 2010, a programmer in Florida, USA, purchased two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins, marking the first recorded transaction of Bitcoin and highlighting its extremely low value at the time.
In 2011, Bitcoin began to gain more attention, with price fluctuations increasing from an initially negligible amount to several dollars, attracting the interest of some investors and tech geeks. In 2013, Bitcoin experienced its first major explosion, with prices soaring past $1,000, drawing global focus to this digital currency, alongside numerous controversies regarding its legality and security.
The development of Bitcoin has not been smooth, experiencing several price crashes and surges. For example, in 2017, its price entered a frenzied upward trajectory, peaking close to $20,000, only to subsequently plummet significantly. From a regulatory perspective, countries have been continuously issuing relevant policies; some view it as a legal asset subject to regulatory management, while others impose strict trading restrictions.
Bitcoin has become the most well-known cryptocurrency globally. Despite still facing many uncertainties and criticisms related to issues like energy consumption and use in illegal transactions, it undeniably holds significant influence in the fintech sector, continuously impacting people's understanding and exploration of digital currencies and decentralized financial systems.