What is bitcoin and how does it work?

What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is the first and most widely recognized cryptocurrency. It enables peer-to-peer exchange of value in the digital realm through the use of a decentralized protocol, cryptography, and a mechanism to achieve global consensus on the state of a periodically updated public transaction ledger called a 'blockchain.'

What is a bitcoin wallet?

A Bitcoin wallet is a tool for interacting with the Bitcoin network. Use it to buy, sell, send, receive, and trade bitcoin. Making a Bitcoin wallet is as easy as downloading an app. Read more: Understand the ins & outs of creating a Bitcoin wallet with this comprehensive guide. How to buy and sell bitcoin? Apps like the Bitcoin.com Wallet.

How to buy bitcoin online?

The easiest way to buy bitcoin is to purchase it through an online exchange like Coinbase. Coinbase makes it easy to buy, sell, send, receive, and store bitcoin without needing to hold it yourself using something called public and private keys. However, if you choose to buy and store bitcoin outside of an online exchange, here’s how that works.

What is a bitcoin ledger?

The ledger is effectively a chronological list of transactions. This ledger is copied—exactly—across every computer that is connected to the bitcoin network, and it is constantly checked and secured using a vast amount of computing power across the globe.