Bitcoin price (BTC)

Bitcoin emerged in 2008, in response to the global financial crisis, which exposed the flaws of centralised financial systems and the risk of currency debasement by central banks. Designed as a decentralised digital currency, Bitcoin aims to enable secure transactions without intermediaries, cutting costs and delays. Its supply, capped at 21 million units, prevents inflation, unlike fiat currencies, and makes it a stable store of value, offering an alternative to inflationary monetary policies.

Bitcoin works both as a digital currency and as a store of value. As a currency, it enables fast, secure and borderless transactions, significantly reducing costs and delays compared with traditional payment systems. Bitcoin offers an alternative to fiat currencies, which is especially useful in countries with currency restrictions or high inflation. As a store of value, it is often compared to digital gold, offering protection against inflation thanks to its limited maximum supply. It also attracts investors looking to diversify their portfolio.

Yes, you can buy fractions of a Bitcoin. Bitcoin can be divided down to the eighth decimal place, the smallest unit being called a “satoshi” (0.00000001 BTC). This makes Bitcoin extremely divisible, so users can buy small amounts of Bitcoin to suit their budget. It makes investing in Bitcoin accessible to a wide range of investors, whatever their capital.

You can buy and sell Bitcoin from €1 with the Bitstack app, available for free on the App Store and Google Play. Bitstack is a French company registered with the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) that lets you save in Bitcoin simply and securely. With Bitstack, your bitcoin really belongs to you. You can transfer it to an external wallet at any time to secure it yourself, or sell it instantly in one tap in the app.

The Bitcoin price is set by supply and demand on cryptocurrency exchanges, which work much like traditional stock markets. When more people want to buy Bitcoin than sell it, the price goes up. Conversely, when more people want to sell Bitcoin than there are buyers, the price goes down. This mechanism is influenced by various factors, such as the news, regulatory changes, swings in global financial markets, and the general perception of Bitcoin’s value as a store of value or medium of exchange.

In Europe, Bitcoin is legal, and governed by regulations designed to prevent money laundering and protect consumers. European Union countries follow a common framework to regulate cryptocurrencies, making them easier to use for payments and investments while supervising exchange platforms. Outside Europe, the situation varies significantly from one country to another. Some countries have fully embraced Bitcoin, recognising its use as a means of payment or an investment, while others have imposed restrictions.

Bitcoin’s environmental impact is often debated, but it’s worth noting that Bitcoin drives innovation towards greener energy solutions. The network encourages the use of renewable energy for mining, as miners constantly look to minimise their energy costs. Bitcoin also supports the circular economy by making use of surplus renewable energy and turning the heat generated by mining into useful heating. So, far from the image of an ecological disaster, Bitcoin pushes for a more efficient and sustainable use of energy.

Bitcoin stands apart from other cryptocurrencies, often called altcoins, through several fundamental features. First, its architecture is unique in that it is naturally distributed, with no leader or central authority, embodying monetary ingenuity through a design aimed at fairness and censorship-resistant transactions. Unlike altcoins, which are essentially variations of Bitcoin with specific changes, Bitcoin has a robust history, a network running without interruption since 2009, and an irreplaceable network effect. No copy or modification manages to match Bitcoin’s originality and impact, and Bitcoin would evolve anyway to integrate any relevant innovation. Bitcoin also rests on principles of global distribution and openness, unlike altcoins which, despite their promises, often depend on centralised structures or fail to deliver real technical utility beyond marketing and broken promises.

Saving in Bitcoin appeals through its promise of decentralisation, programmed scarcity and growth potential, offering an alternative to traditional financial systems. Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) is a particularly popular strategy to soften Bitcoin’s volatility: by regularly investing fixed amounts, you can smooth out your average purchase cost over the long term, turning market swings into opportunities rather than risks. Adopting this method means choosing a careful approach, aimed at building up Bitcoin gradually, with a long-term view, while minimising the impact of price swings on your overall investment. Download Bitstack on the App Store and Google Play to save in Bitcoin effortlessly.