Glossary
Bitcoin
The first blockchain and cryptocurrency, launched in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, securing a fixed-supply digital money via proof-of-work mining.
Bitcoin is the original blockchain: a peer-to-peer network that maintains an ordered ledger of transfers of its native asset (BTC) without a central operator. Anyone can run a node, anyone can mine, and the supply is capped at 21 million BTC.
Security comes from proof-of-work mining: miners spend electricity searching for a block hash below a target, and the longest valid chain wins. Bitcoin emphasizes simplicity and durability over expressive smart contracts, which is why most application activity happens elsewhere while Bitcoin serves as a settlement and store-of-value layer.