Bitcoin

Open-source peer-to-peer (P2P) money and the grandfather of all cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin is the first open-source cryptocurrency project actually deployed and used widely. Bitcoin inspired most cryptocurrencies created afterward, and many are simple clones without any relevant addition. It was created in 2009 by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto, whose real identity is still unknown. The main application of the Bitcoin network is the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, used to transfer value with no central authority. Bitcoin works with peer-to-peer software, which enables participants to issue Bitcoins and manage transactions collectively and automatically. Bitcoin is self-regulating, and inflation is limited. The maximum number of emitted Bitcoins capped at 21 million units.