Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a new electronic payment system that removes the need for third party financial institutions. It speeds up transactions while reducing costs and minimizing the potential for fraud. The name “cryptocurrency” points to how it uses “cryptographic proof” to work, AKA a blockchain.

Bitcoin’s concept was first introduced in 2008 when a person going by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto shared a white paper titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.” In January 2009, the Bitcoin blockchain was launched. 

A new electronic payment system called Bitcoin removes the need for third-party financial institutions. It speeds up transactions while reducing costs and fraud-risk. The name “cryptocurrency” points to how it uses “cryptographic proof” to work, AKA a blockchain.   

Bitcoin has a finite supply of 21 million, which is expected to be reached by the year 2140. Currently, 18.8 million are circulating in the market. Note that Bitcoin represents the concept of the network, while bitcoin (lower-case ‘b’) represents the currency.

Bitcoin is one of the most well-known cryptos as it was the first decentralized currency. 

Currently, BTC’s dominance is above 40%. Bitcoin Dominance is a measure of how much of the total market cap of crypto is made up of Bitcoin. Bitcoin’s influence in the crypto ecosystem could be vulnerable to competition as alternative coins grow in popularity and utility.

Alcoa Corp. is in advanced talks to sell its idled Massena East aluminum smelter site in upstate New York to NYDIG, the bitcoin mining and digital asset infrastructure firm, according to Bloomberg.

Report: NYDIG Close to Buying Alcoa's Massena New York Smelter Site for Bitcoin Mining Operations

Anthony Scaramucci, founder of global investment firm SkyBridge Capital, said on Sunday that Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) fulfills all the requirements of a proper money system, fueling his bullish outlook on the apex cryptocurrency. ‘Bitcoin Has Built Its Own Trust System' In an X post, Scaramucci emphasized the trustworthiness of Bitcoin, comparing it to the trust people have in fiat currencies.

Anthony Scaramucci Says Bitcoin 'Checks Every Single Box' Of What Defines 'Money' And That's Why He's 'Bullish'

Dogecoin

Ethereum

Leading cryptocurrencies fell alongside stock futures Sunday evening as tensions between the U.S. and Iran increased dramatically over the weekend.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Slide As Iran Claims 'Ceasefire Violations' Amid Middle-East Tensions: Analyst Sees BTC's Positive Momentum 'Fading'

Bitcoin dropped below $74,000 Saturday evening after Iran rejected a second round of in-person peace talks with the United States, triggering a risk-off selloff across crypto markets. Key Takeaways: Bitcoin fell to approximately $73,753 on April 19, 2026, after Iran rejected a second round of U.S. peace talks.

Bitcoin Drops Below $74,000 After Iran Rejects Second Round of US Peace Talks

Prediction market traders are putting real money on where bitcoin goes next, and right now, the crowd is split between a short-term bounce and a deeper correction. Key Takeaways: Polymarket shows a 31% chance bitcoin hits $80K in April 2026, making it the most active live bracket with $3.7M in volume.

Polymarket Traders Give Bitcoin 31% Chance of Hitting $80,000 This Month

Bitcoin's mining difficulty eased this week, declining 2.43% from the prior target and settling at 135.59 trillion. This adjustment comes on the heels of the previous epoch's 3.87% increase and marks the fifth downward revision recorded this year. Key Takeaways: Bitcoin difficulty fell 2.43% to 135.59T on April 17, 2026, easing mining conditions. Hashrateindex.

Bitcoin Network Eases as Difficulty Slides 2.43% and Hashprice Rises 13.65%

Strategy's bitcoin positioning drew heightened attention as Michael Saylor's latest signal reinforced expectations of continued accumulation. The update underscored how investors interpret these cues as indicators of potential balance sheet expansion and sustained institutional demand. Key Takeaways: Strategy doubled down on bitcoin, signaling aggressive accumulation intent.

‘Think Even Bigger': Michael Saylor's New Signal Hints at Another Massive Strategy Bitcoin Buy

Bitcoin's path higher may hinge more on fiat liquidity than interest rates as macro stress builds. Arthur Hayes argues near-term upside may remain limited until policymakers inject liquidity into banks and credit markets. Key Takeaways: Arthur Hayes ties bitcoin's outlook to global liquidity, with upside dependent on policy-driven liquidity.

Arthur Hayes Warns Bitcoin May Stall Until Liquidity Returns

Blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence has located and publicly labeled the custodian wallets backing Morgan Stanley's spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), giving any observer the ability to track the fund's BTC holdings in near real-time.

Morgan Stanley's MSBT Bitcoin ETF Wallets Now Publicly Trackable via Arkham

Crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) capped the week with a powerful surge, led by bitcoin's massive inflow that pushed assets back above $100 billion. Ether extended its streak, while XRP and solana continued their steady climb. Key Takeaways: Bitcoin ETFs drew $663.91 million, pushing net assets above $100 billion. Ether ETFs added $127.

Bitcoin ETFs Add $664 Million as Assets Top $100 Billion Again

Bitcoin futures open interest across all exchanges slid 4.2% over the past 24 hours to $58.44 billion, while options positioning on the CME skewed heavily toward puts, a clear signal that institutional traders are hedging rather than pressing longs. At 10:30 a.m.

Bitcoin CME Options Open Interest Stays Put-Heavy as Price Stalls Around $76,000

Oplinger said the transaction should close in the middle part of this year, as the aluminum giant works to offload 10 dormant US smelter sites.

Alcoa nears deal to sell dormant New York smelter site to Bitcoin miner NYDIG: Bloomberg

Shell argues the network is fixable and proposes a different framing to the recent quantum debate.

The Lightning Network isn't ‘helplessly broken'

Parasite Pool, which pays 1 BTC to the block finder and splits the rest among all participants, mined block 945,601 on Friday, about 48 days after its first.

Bitcoin 'plebs eat first' mining pool Parasite finds its second BTC block

Truss criticized central banking and defended her mini-budget, suggesting bitcoin and a CPAC UK conference could help push for economic reform.

Former UK Prime Minister sees economy on 'very negative trajectory,' indicates support for bitcoin

‘Buy Bitcoin'—Elon Musk's ‘Massive' U.S. Dollar Warning Fuels Wild Crypto Price Predictions

One of the biggest short liquidations 2026 wiped $593 million in bearish bets overnight. Saturday afternoon as Iran reportedly reversed the Hormuz reopening.

Bitcoin falls back to $76,000 as Iran reportedly shuts Hormuz again

Part one explained the physics of quantum computing. This piece explains the target — how bitcoin's encryption works, why a quantum algorithm breaks it, and what Google's paper changed about the timeline.

How a quantum computer can be used to actually steal your bitcoin in '9 minutes'

Over 84% of U.S. spot bitcoin ETF assets sit with a single custodian. Analysts warn the concentration could rattle a $77 billion market.

'Choke Point'—Bitcoin's $77B Coinbase ETF Warning Shocks Markets

Crypto ETFs extended their recovery with another day of inflows across all major assets. Bitcoin and ether maintained their streaks, while XRP and Solana posted strong gains. Key Takeaways Bitcoin ETFs added $26.05 million, led by Blackrock's IBIT, extending a 3-day inflow streak. Ether ETFs gained $18.

Bitcoin, Ether Lead Sustained Gains for Crypto ETFs

The price of Bitcoin breaks a seven-month downtrend as geopolitical shifts and prediction markets point to $84K next.

Bitcoin Cracks 7-Month Ceiling. Can Bulls Push It Higher?

Rep. Sheri Biggs purchased up to $250,000 worth of BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF last month, padding a position she entered into last July.

Rep. Sheri Biggs Doubles Down on Bitcoin, Buys Up to $250K of BlackRock's ETF

A look at the legal aspects and relevant laws regarding a hypothetical theft of bitcoin utilizing quantum computers.

When Quantum Computers Come for Your Bitcoin: What Classical Property Law Says Happens Next

Bitcoin climbed to $77,000 on Friday, coinciding with nearly $1 billion in liquidations of mostly shorts.

Bitcoin Surges To $77,000 As Market Flips To Greed On Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Jumping 3%

Traders betting against Bitcoin and crypto are witnessing a cascade of liquidations as Iran announces the Strait of Hormuz is fully open to commercial shipping. In the last 24 hours, a whopping $815.42 million in leveraged crypto bets have been liquidated, according to the market data tracker CoinGlass.

News for Bitcoin Crypto (BTC)