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| 1 Year | 5 Year | 5 Year Annualized | Since IPO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTC | +60.97% | +737.66% | +52.97% | +80,082% |
| S&P | +15.06% | +95.03% | +14.29% | +326% |
Bitcoin is a decentralized cryptocurrency that uses peer-to-peer technology and a blockchain to record transactions. It was created by Satoshi Nakamoto and the first block was mined on January 3, 2009. Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a blockchain, which is a distributed ledger that can be accessed by anyone to verify transactions. Transactions are verified by miners, who are rewarded with a set amount of Bitcoin and transaction fees. The supply of Bitcoin is limited to 21 million coins and it is divisible to eight decimal places. A wallet is needed to use Bitcoin and it consists of a public key, which is used to send and receive payments, and a private key, which is used to control the wallet. Bitcoin can be used for a variety of purposes, including everyday transactions, as a store of value, or for investment.
Bitcoin's price has climbed an impressive 65% during the past 12 months.
Explore the top holders by person, country, company, ETF, and wallet – plus how Bitcoin is distributed across millions of addresses.
The S&P 500 had a great year.
The crypto bulls were right. Bitcoin's market cap is now about the size of Alphabet's.
Investors need to stop and think.
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