Bitcoin is the asset that gave birth to the adoption of many other cryptocurrencies. It was created largely as analternative payment system that would operate outside of central banking control. It was launched in 2008 whenconfidence in financial markets was very low, and its continued (albeit volatile) rising long-term price trend has beensupported by continued debasement of fiat currencies.Bitcoin is based on the decentralized, open-source protocol of the peer-to-peer Bitcoin computer network. Thenetwork creates a decentralized public transaction ledger, called the blockchain, on which all Bitcoin transactionsare recorded. Movement of bitcoin is facilitated by a digital, transparent, and immutable ledger that enables therapid transfer of value across the internet, without the need for centralized intermediaries.The Bitcoin concept can be separated into two components:Bitcoin the token Bitcoin the token is a piece of code that represents ownership of a digital concept(a bitcoin) with financial value. Investors may invest in and own the bitcoin, eitherdirectly or indirectly, through an investment vehicle.Bitcoin the protocol Bitcoin the protocol is the distributed network, or blockchain, that maintains theledger of balances of bitcoin the token