20 facts about Bitcoin

 1. Bitcoin is a digital asset and a payment system invented by Satoshi Nakamoto.

2. Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded in a public dispersed ledger called a blockchain.

3. Bitcoin is unique in that there are a finite number of them: 21 million.

4. 16.7 million bitcoins are in circulation as of this writing, with a total market value of $137.5 billion.

5. Bitcoin users can buy goods and services with bitcoins, or they can hold them as an investment.

6. Bitcoin is traded on a number of exchanges, most of which use U.S. dollars.

7. The price of a bitcoin has seen wild swings in price over its short history.

8. In 2013, the U.S. Treasury Department classified bitcoin as a convertible decentralized virtual currency.

9. In 2017, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ruled that bitcoin is a commodity, which means it can be regulated by the agency.

10. Bitcoin is the first and most well-known cryptocurrency.

11. Cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual tokens that use cryptography to secure their transactions and to control the creation of new units.

12. Other well-known cryptocurrencies include Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin.

13. Cryptocurrencies are often traded on decentralized exchanges, which are platforms that don’t rely on third parties to hold users’ funds.

14. Cryptocurrencies are also traded on traditional exchanges, such as Coinbase and Kraken.

15. A growing number of businesses are accepting cryptocurrencies as payment for goods and services.

16. Bitcoin has been criticized for its high energy consumption, volatility, and lack of governance.

17. Bitcoin has also been praised for its security, transparency, and ability to circumvent government control.

18. Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, is a mystery.

19. The first bitcoin transaction took place in 2010, when a programmer bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins.

20. As of January 2018, the total value of all bitcoins in circulation was over $200 billion.