Bitcoin's current real-time price is $108,739.14**, with a 24-hour trading volume of **$10,267,158,603. The price has dropped by 0.37% in the last 24 hours but increased by 1.70% over the past week. Bitcoin's current market capitalization stands at $2.16 trillion, with a maximum supply of 21,000,000 BTC coins. The circulating supply is 19,887,284 BTC, and Bitcoin ranks #1 in the market.
All data and prices are updated in real time. The most active and popular exchanges for trading BTC are Binance, KuCoin & Kraken. For more cryptocurrency exchange options, check out our Cryptocurrency Exchange Tracker. The safest hardware wallets to secure your crypto are Ledger and Trezor.
What Is Bitcoin (BTC)?
Bitcoin (BTC) is the backbone of the cryptocurrency world. It was developed to create a digital currency that operates peer-to-peer and remains independent of third-party financial institutions or intermediaries.
As an open-source project, Bitcoin is accessible to everyone, owned by no one, and maintained by a global network of enthusiasts. It pioneered decentralized finance (DeFi) and laid the foundation for thousands of other cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin's core principle is enabling financial transfers without intermediaries, regardless of location.
Over a decade after its launch, Bitcoin remains the dominant cryptocurrency. In 2021, its market cap surpassed $1 trillion, cementing its position as the leading digital asset. Often called "digital gold," Bitcoin is viewed as a decentralized store of value, with its limited supply driving long-term price appreciation.
The Story of Bitcoin
Bitcoin's concept originated in November 2008 when Satoshi Nakamoto, its pseudonymous creator, published its whitepaper on a cryptography forum. The whitepaper detailed a peer-to-peer electronic cash system powered by blockchain technology.
On January 3, 2009, Nakamoto mined the Genesis Block (Block 0), embedding a headline from The London Times: "The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks." This highlighted Bitcoin's creation amid the 2008 financial crisis.
Nakamoto released Bitcoin’s first version on SourceForge, making its code publicly accessible. By 2010, Nakamoto handed development to Gavin Andersen and the open-source community. Today, Bitcoin’s code is maintained by contributors like Marco Falke and Jonas Schnelli.
A pivotal moment in Bitcoin’s history was Bitcoin Pizza Day (May 22, 2010), when Laszlo Hanyecz spent 10,000 BTC on two pizzas—the first real-world BTC transaction. At the time, Bitcoin’s price ranged from $0.0008 to $0.08. Today, those pizzas would be worth millions.
In 2021, El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender, becoming the first country to do so. Other nations are exploring similar moves. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele even proposed a volcano-powered BTC mining city.
How Does Bitcoin Work?
Bitcoin uses the SHA-256 algorithm for encryption, securing transactions and managing addresses. The Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism requires miners to solve complex mathematical puzzles to validate transactions and add blocks to the blockchain. Successful miners earn block rewards in BTC.
👉 Learn how to mine Bitcoin profitably
Bitcoin’s halving event reduces mining rewards by 50% every 210,000 blocks (roughly every 4 years). Initially, rewards were 50 BTC per block; after the 2020 halving, they dropped to 6.25 BTC. The final Bitcoin will be mined in 2140.
To address scalability, Bitcoin employs the Lightning Network, a Layer-2 solution enabling faster off-chain transactions.
How to Mine Bitcoin?
- Join a Mining Pool: Combine computational power with other miners using Bitcoin-compatible software.
- Use ASIC Miners: Invest in Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) machines (~$20,000) for higher efficiency.
- Monitor Costs: Factor in electricity and cooling expenses.
Bitcoin Supply
Bitcoin’s total supply is capped at 21 million coins, with 19,887,284 BTC currently in circulation. New coins are issued only through mining rewards. Early miners accumulated large holdings due to low competition.
Bitcoin’s price has soared from $0.0008** in 2010 to **$108,739.14 today, driven by scarcity and adoption. However, its volatility reflects broader crypto market trends.
How Does Bitcoin Gain Value?
Bitcoin upgrades via hard forks (backward-incompatible changes) and soft forks (backward-compatible updates).
- Hard Fork Example: Bitcoin Cash (BCH) emerged in 2017 after a block-size increase proposal split the community.
- Soft Fork Example: Taproot (2021) enhanced privacy and scalability using Schnorr Signatures and MAST.
Bitcoin’s Environmental Impact
Critics argue Bitcoin’s PoW mechanism consumes excessive energy. However:
- Banking uses 2x more energy than Bitcoin.
- Most BTC mining relies on renewables.
- Initiatives like the Crypto Climate Accord aim for net-zero emissions by 2040.
FAQ
Q: How can I buy Bitcoin?
A: Use exchanges like Binance, KuCoin, or Kraken. Secure your BTC with hardware wallets like Ledger or Trezor.
Q: What drives Bitcoin’s price?
A: Scarcity, adoption, market sentiment, and macroeconomic factors.
Q: Is Bitcoin legal?
A: Yes, in most countries. Some nations, like El Salvador, recognize it as legal tender.
Q: Can Bitcoin be hacked?
A: Bitcoin’s blockchain is highly secure, but exchanges/wallets can be vulnerable. Use cold storage for large holdings.
Q: What’s the future of Bitcoin?
A: As institutional adoption grows, Bitcoin may solidify its role as a global reserve asset.
👉 Explore the best Bitcoin wallets for 2025
Data updated as of 2025. Prices and metrics are subject to change.