Buy Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin (BTC) is the first widely adopted decentralized cryptocurrency, launched in 2009. It was designed as a peer-to-peer payment system that doesn’t rely on a bank or government to issue money or approve transfers. Instead, transactions are verified by a distributed network and recorded on a public ledger.

If you already have a wallet address, you can buy BTC and receive it directly to your wallet. If you’re new, start by learning what a wallet is and how addresses work in our guide: Crypto wallets explained.

Bitcoin is digital money secured by cryptography and maintained by a global peer-to-peer network. BTC is the asset used to pay transaction fees on the network and to transfer value between addresses. There’s no central issuer: the rules are defined by the protocol, and any change requires broad network consensus.

Bitcoin’s original design goal was simple: enable online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution. You can read the original paper here: Bitcoin whitepaper. For a plain-English explanation of what Bitcoin is and how it evolved, see: Britannica: Bitcoin.

1) Blockchain (the shared ledger).
Bitcoin transactions are grouped into blocks and linked together into a chain — the blockchain. Each block references the previous one, creating an audit trail that’s extremely difficult to rewrite. This is why Bitcoin is often described as transparent: anyone can verify the history of transactions on the public ledger, even though the identities behind addresses are not automatically known.

If you want a clearer mental model of how blockchains are structured (L1/L2/L3 and why layers exist), see: Blockchain layers explained (L1, L2, L3). For the protocol-level “how it works,” bitcoin.org has a concise breakdown: How Bitcoin works.

2) Mining (network security + transaction confirmation).
Bitcoin uses Proof-of-Work mining to add new blocks and secure the network. Miners compete to produce the next valid block, and the winner broadcasts it to the network. This process confirms pending transactions and makes it costly to attack or rewrite history.

Mining is also why Bitcoin has real-world operating costs (hardware + electricity). If you want a neutral reference on mining energy data and methodology, see: Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI).

3) Supply cap (scarcity by design).
Bitcoin’s monetary policy is fixed in code: the total supply is capped, and new BTC issuance decreases over time. This is one of the main reasons BTC is often compared to “digital gold.” If you want a short explanation of how fixed supply differs from inflationary systems, see: Inflationary vs deflationary crypto — which is better?.

BTC is known for volatility. Price is mainly driven by supply and demand, but several real-world factors shape that demand:

1. Market liquidity & risk appetite: In “risk-on” markets, demand for volatile assets can rise; in “risk-off” periods, it can fall.
2. Macro conditions: Inflation expectations, interest rates, and currency strength can influence how investors position into BTC.
3. Protocol mechanics: BTC issuance declines over time, and periodic events (like reward halvings) affect new supply entering the market.
4. Adoption & infrastructure: More on-ramps, better custody tools, and broader merchant/financial integration can expand demand.
5. Regulation & headlines: Policy and enforcement actions can move price quickly, even if long-term fundamentals don’t change overnight.

If you want a market-style breakdown of how “news + macro + adoption” can show up in price moves, see: Why Bitcoin hit $122K in July 2025?. For a calmer comparison of BTC vs stable-value assets, see: Stablecoins vs Bitcoin — what to choose in 2025?.

Before using or buying BTC, it helps to be explicit about the main risks:

Volatility risk.
BTC can move sharply in both directions. If you’re new, start with an amount you can afford to hold through volatility and consider diversification. This guide is a solid baseline: Creating your ideal crypto portfolio.

Scams & social engineering.
Most people don’t “lose BTC to hacks” — they lose it to scams: fake support, phishing, malicious links, impersonators, and “guaranteed returns.” Learn the patterns first: 7 common crypto scams and how to avoid them. For an official consumer warning with examples, see: FTC: What to know about cryptocurrency and scams.

Custody & human error.
If you self-custody, your security depends on how you store keys and backup phrases. Never share your seed phrase, keep backups offline, and double-check addresses before sending. Start here: Crypto wallets explained. If you’re curious why platforms sometimes require identity checks for safety/compliance, see: What is KYC in crypto and why it’s not scary?.