Bitcoin is a digital asset and a payment system invented by Satoshi Nakamoto. Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded in a public dispersed ledger called a blockchain.
Bitcoin is unique in that there are a finite number of them: 21 million.
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.
To use bitcoin, you need a wallet, which is a digital place to store your bitcoins. There are three types of wallets: software, hardware, and paper.
Software wallets are installed on your computer; hardware wallets are physical devices that look like USB drives; and paper wallets are printouts of your public and private keys.
You can buy bitcoins with fiat currencies like USD, EUR, GBP, or RUB. You can also buy them with other cryptocurrencies like ETH, LTC, or XRP.
The most common way to buy bitcoins is through exchanges such as Coinbase, Bitstamp, or Kraken. These exchanges connect buyers with sellers and usually charge a fee for each transaction.
Once you have your wallet set up and funded, you can start buying and selling bitcoins. To buy bitcoins, you need to find someone who is selling them and send them money through an exchange or directly from your bank account.
To sell bitcoins, you need to find someone who is buying them and send them the bitcoins you want to sell. Bitcoin transactions are direct person-to-person transactions without the need for a middleman such as a bank or credit card company.
The price of bitcoin fluctuates constantly and is determined by supply and demand. When more people want to buy bitcoins than there are sellers, the price goes up.
When more people want to sell than there are buyers, the price goes down. The current price of bitcoin can be found on any number of websites including CoinMarketCap, Blockchaininfo, or LocalBitcoins.
Bitcoin is still in its early stages and its price is volatile. Investing in bitcoin may be risky but it could also be very profitable.
Before investing in bitcoin, you should do your research and understand the risks involved.