Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency and worldwide payment system. It is the first decentralized digital currency, as the system works without a central bank or single administrator. The network is peer-to-peer and transactions take place between users directly, without an intermediary.
These transactions are verified by network nodes through the use of cryptography and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain. Bitcoin was invented by an unknown person or group of people under the name Satoshi Nakamoto and released as open-source software in 2009.
Bitcoins are created as a reward for a process known as mining. They can be exchanged for other currencies, products, and services. As of February 2015, over 100,000 merchants and vendors accepted bitcoin as payment. Bitcoin can also be held as an investment.
According to research produced by Cambridge University in 2017, there are 2.9 to 5.8 million unique users using a cryptocurrency wallet, most of them using bitcoin.
The price of Bitcoin has been subject to wide swings since it was created in 2009. Recently, the price of Bitcoin has been on a tear, rising from around $1,000 at the beginning of 2017 to over $19,000 by December 2017. Despite this volatility, there are some who believe that Bitcoin will continue to rise in price.
John McAfee, the founder of McAfee Associates and current CEO of MGT Capital Investments, believes that the price of Bitcoin will reach $1 million by 2020. Tim Draper, a venture capitalist who has made early investments in companies like Skype and Baidu, believes that the price could reach $250,000 by 2022.
There are several reasons for these optimistic predictions. Firstly, the number of people using Bitcoin is increasing rapidly. Secondly, more and more businesses are beginning to accept Bitcoin as payment.
Thirdly, governments and financial institutions are beginning to recognize Bitcoin as a legitimate currency. Finally, the limited supply of Bitcoin means that its price is likely to continue to rise over time.
If these predictions are correct, then the price of Bitcoin could reach $1 million or more by 2030. However, it is important to remember that prices could also crash just as easily as they have risen. Only time will tell what the future holds for Bitcoin.