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Bitcoin is the first widely adopted decentralized digital currency and payment network. Introduced in 2008 and launched in 2009, Bitcoin operates without a central authority and records transactions on a public blockchain. Because many Bitcoin metrics change continuously (such as market cap, daily transaction counts, and circulating supply), this page combines foundational facts with clearly dated statistics and links to primary or widely used reference sources.
Bitcoin at a Glance
What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer digital payment network and asset that uses cryptography and a decentralized ledger (the blockchain) to verify and record transactions. The original Bitcoin FAQ describes it as a decentralized payment network with no central authority or middlemen. (source)
Quick answer: Bitcoin launched in 2009, was created under the name Satoshi Nakamoto, and has a fixed maximum supply of 21 million BTC.
Key Bitcoin Metrics (Reference Snapshot)
| Metric | Value | Source / Notes |
| Bitcoin launch year | 2009 | Bitcoin.org FAQ |
| Inventor / creator name used | Satoshi Nakamoto | Bitcoin whitepaper |
| Whitepaper publication year | 2008 | Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System |
| Maximum Bitcoin supply | 21 million BTC | Protocol design / widely documented in Bitcoin references |
| Smallest unit of Bitcoin | 1 satoshi = 0.00000001 BTC | Bitcoin Wiki |
| Bitcoin share of global crypto market | 48.6% (2024) | Forbes Advisor (2024) |
| Estimated average daily transaction value processed | $70 billion (2024 estimate cited) | CoinLaw (2024) |
| Estimated network electricity consumption | 160 TWh/year (2024 cited estimate) | BTC Hosts (2024) |
Bitcoin Basics and History
When was Bitcoin invented?
2008 (whitepaper publication year) (source)
When did Bitcoin begin?
2009 (source)
Who started Bitcoin?
Satoshi Nakamoto
Maximum number of bitcoins that can ever be created:
21 million
Bitcoin Statistics
How many Bitcoin were in circulation?
17.850 million (2019 snapshot) (source)
Percentage of Bitcoin mined (2019 snapshot):
85% (source)
Bitcoin share of the global cryptocurrency market:
48.6% (2024) (source)
Total number of transactions:
400 million transactions (2019 milestone) (source)
Average number of transactions per day:
350,000 transactions (2019 snapshot) (source)
Estimated number of Bitcoins that have been lost:
3.8 million (2017 estimate cited) (source)
Average amount of transactions processed daily:
$70 billion (2024 cited estimate) (source)
Day with the highest value transacted over the network (historical claim cited):
November 16, 2017 ($2.8 billion) (source)
Bitcoin market cap:
Approximately $2 trillion (2024 cited figure) (source)
Total revenue from Bitcoin mining to date:
$14 billion (2019 snapshot) (source)
Number of mining nodes:
9,478 (cited historical figure) (source)
Energy comparison claim:
Bitcoin mining takes about 2x as much energy as mining gold, platinum, or copper (cited 2018 comparison) (source)
Wallet concentration snapshot:
1% of Bitcoin wallets controlled $100 billion in Bitcoin (2018) (source)
Amount of energy the network consumes:
160 terawatt-hours per year (2024 cited estimate) (source)
Bitcoin share of global electricity consumption (historical estimate):
Roughly 0.25% (2019 estimate) (source)
Frequently Asked Bitcoin Questions
What is Bitcoin in simple terms?
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency and payment network that allows users to send value directly to each other without a bank or central issuer. Transactions are recorded on a public blockchain.
Who created Bitcoin?
Bitcoin was introduced under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto.
When did Bitcoin start?
Bitcoin launched in 2009 after the whitepaper was published in 2008.
How many bitcoins can ever exist?
The maximum supply is capped at 21 million BTC.
Why do Bitcoin statistics vary by source?
Some metrics are real-time (price, market cap, circulating supply), some are estimates (lost coins, energy use), and some are historical snapshots published on specific dates. Always check the source date before comparing figures.
Key Takeaways
- Bitcoin is the first major decentralized cryptocurrency and began operating in 2009.
- The supply cap of 21 million BTC is one of Bitcoin’s defining features.
- Many headline Bitcoin statistics (market cap, daily transaction value, supply in circulation) change frequently and should be read with their source dates.
- Energy-use and “lost coins” figures are estimates, not exact audited totals.
Bitcoin Timeline (Quick Reference)
- 2008: Bitcoin whitepaper published by Satoshi Nakamoto (source)
- 2009: Bitcoin network launches (source)
- 2019: 400 million transaction milestone reported (source)
- 2024: Bitcoin cited at 48.6% of crypto market share in one source snapshot (source)
Sources and References
- Bitcoin.org FAQ
- Bitcoin Whitepaper (bitcoin.org)
- The Next Web (2019) – mined supply snapshot
- The Next Web (2019) – transaction milestone
- Forbes Advisor (2024) – crypto market share statistic
- CoinLaw (2024) – compiled Bitcoin statistics
- EUbusiness (2024) – market cap snapshot cited
- Decrypt (2019) – mining revenue snapshot
- Digital Trends (2017) – lost Bitcoin estimate
- The Verge (2019) – electricity consumption estimate coverage
- BTC Hosts (2024) – compiled mining/energy statistics
- LetsTalkPayments – historical transacted value claim
- Statistic Brain – historical node count citation
