Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin remains the world’s largest and most valuable blockchain network. Launched in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, it introduced the concept of decentralized digital money powered by proof-of-work consensus. Bitcoin’s primary function is to store and transfer value securely without intermediaries, earning it the nickname “digital gold.” While its base layer focuses on security and immutability rather than smart contracts, scaling innovations like the Lightning Network and Ordinals protocol are expanding Bitcoin’s use cases into faster payments and digital collectibles.