Daily Bitcoin (BTC) market cap history up until September 17, 2023 The Top 12 Altcoins to Watch Following BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Approval As Bitcoin’s adoption has grown over the years, more people have likely begun wondering how Bitcoin works. Bitcoin is a decentralized cryptocurrency that operates on its own blockchain (the Bitcoin blockchain) secured and run by a vast global network of participants. It is a borderless asset that can be traded and transacted fractionally. Safeguarded by its open-source code, Bitcoin’s 21 million maximum coin supply makes the asset scarce and deflationary, unlike the U.S. dollar.