Bitcoin is a decentralised digital currency, created in 2009 by an anonymous entity known as Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a peer-to-peer network, using blockchain technology to manage transactions and issue new coins through mining. Bitcoin offers a high level of security with transactions recorded on a public ledger, making it difficult to tamper with. As the first cryptocurrency, it has paved the way for many others and remains the most widely used and recognized digital currency.