Should You Invest In Bitcoin?

Discuss investment strategies, review market research and real-time updates

Buy BTC

68,445,354 Bitcoin positions opened on eToro

Bitcoin (BTC) was created by Satoshi Nakamoto, an anonymous individual or group, in 2009. Often considered the pioneer of cryptocurrencies, it was the first decentralised currency to gain popularity and is now considered the best-known cryptocurrency in the world.

Buy BTC
Read More

Historical Price Charts

Past performance is not an indication of future results.

Read more about Bitcoin

How does Bitcoin work?

Bitcoin's operation can be divided into two key components: blockchain technology and bitcoin transactions.

Blockchain

  • Decentralised ledger: Bitcoin operates on a decentralised ledger called the blockchain: a chain of blocks containing data relating to bitcoin transactions.
  • Mining: Miners, using specialised software, validate and add new transactions to the blockchain through a consensus mechanism called “Proof of Work”.
  • Security: The blockchain's decentralised nature ensures security and immutability. Once a transaction is added to a block, it is secured using cryptography and becomes almost impossible to alter.

Transactions

  • Digital wallets: Users need a digital wallet to send, receive and store Bitcoin. Each wallet has a public address, similar to an account number, and a private key, like a password.
  • Initiating transactions: To send bitcoin, a user initiates a transaction by signing it with their private key. This digitally signed transaction is then broadcast to the network.
  • Verification: Miners on the network verify the transaction's validity by confirming that the sender has the necessary bitcoin to send, and that the private key is legitimate.
  • Inclusion in blocks: Valid transactions are included in a block by miners. These blocks are then linked to the previous block in the chain.
  • Confirmation: Several subsequent blocks are added to the blockchain to confirm the transaction's permanence. The more confirmations, the more secure the transaction.

Bitcoin’s value proposition lies in its scarcity and security, as well as its potential to serve as a store of value. While Bitcoin's future is uncertain, it has undeniably paved the way for the broader adoption of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology across a variety of industries.

Buy BTC

Start trading crypto with confidence

Real-time insights

Traders on eToro receive free access to the latest crypto market research & news

Customised risk management

Set Stop Loss and Take Profit parameters to suit your strategy and automatically protect your investments

Practise with $100K

Try out all of the features on eToro’s trading platform risk free with $100,000 in a virtual portfolio

Start Investing
eToro USA LLC; Investments are subject to market risk, including the possible loss of principal.