Bitcoin price today

The Bitcoin price is the most important number in the crypto market; when Bitcoin makes a sharp move, most other cryptocurrencies usually rise and fall along with it. On this page you can see the live price of Bitcoin (BTC) against Tether and its candlestick chart, and below we explain what Bitcoin is, how its supply is controlled, what factors move its price, and what Iranian users should keep in mind when buying, transferring and holding it.

What is Bitcoin and where did it come from?

Bitcoin is the world's first decentralized cryptocurrency: digital money that no central bank or company issues, with transactions recorded on a network of thousands of independent computers. The idea was set out in a nine-page paper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System," published in October 2008 under the pseudonym "Satoshi Nakamoto." The network's first block, known as the "genesis block," was created in January 2009.

Satoshi Nakamoto's real identity is still unknown. After a few years of contributing to development, he stepped away from the Bitcoin community around 2011, and software development was handed over to a group of volunteer programmers. This absence of a specific owner or manager is one of the features that sets Bitcoin apart from most later projects. Since Bitcoin, thousands of other cryptocurrencies have been created, from payment projects such as Ripple to meme coins such as Dogecoin.

How does Bitcoin work?

All Bitcoin transactions are recorded in a public ledger called the "blockchain." Miners compete with powerful machines to solve a computational problem, and the winner adds the next block to the chain and receives a reward. This mechanism is called "Proof of Work." On average, a block is created roughly every ten minutes, and the network difficulty is adjusted every 2016 blocks so that this time stays constant.

The smallest unit of Bitcoin is the "satoshi," and each Bitcoin equals one hundred million satoshis; so you don't need to buy a whole coin and can hold a very small amount of it. For small, fast payments, a second layer called the "Lightning Network" has also been built, which processes transactions off the main chain with lower fees.

Limited supply and the halving event

Bitcoin's supply cap is set in its code at 21 million coins, and no more will ever be created. New Bitcoin enters the market only through the block reward, and this reward is cut in half every 210,000 blocks (roughly every four years), an event called the "halving."

That is why many compare Bitcoin to gold and call it "digital gold": an asset with scarce supply that no government's monetary policy can increase. Of course, scarcity alone does not guarantee price stability, and Bitcoin's history is full of periods of sharp growth and heavy drops. You can also follow the trend of the global gold price alongside it.

What factors change the Bitcoin price?

1. Supply and demand and the halving cycle

With each halving, the rate at which new Bitcoin enters the market slows. Many traders watch this event, but its effect has differed in each cycle and it should not be treated as a firm rule.

2. Interest rates and global liquidity

In recent years Bitcoin has behaved more like a risk asset. When the US Federal Reserve raises interest rates and cheap money dries up, pressure on the crypto market usually increases. See central bank interest rates on the interest rates page, and the timing of meetings and key reports in the economic calendar .

3. Institutional capital inflows

Since January 2024, spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been allowed to operate on US stock exchanges, making it easier for large investors to get into Bitcoin. The flow of money into and out of these funds is now one of the data points the market follows.

4. Regulation and industry events

Government decisions on cryptocurrencies, the bankruptcy or hacking of major exchanges, and mining news can cause sharp volatility in a short time. Follow warnings about high-risk platforms in Teagle's risk warnings section.

Transferring Bitcoin: network, address and fees

Native Bitcoin moves only on its own network (Bitcoin). Addresses on this network usually start with "1", "3" or "bc1". Some exchanges also offer "wrapped" versions of Bitcoin on other networks for withdrawal; if the network chosen at the source and the destination don't match, the funds may be lost.

• Fees are not fixed: Bitcoin network fees depend on network congestion and the transaction's data size, not on the amount sent. On busy days you may pay a considerable fee to transfer a small amount.
• Confirmation takes time: Most exchanges credit deposits after several block confirmations (each about ten minutes).
• Transactions are irreversible: A mistake in the address or network cannot be undone; always send a small test amount first.

Wallet and exchange security

Whoever has a wallet's "private key" or "recovery phrase" (seed phrase) owns the Bitcoin in it. Never store this phrase in a messaging app, email or phone photo, and never send it to anyone, not even exchange support. Keeping funds on an exchange is more convenient, but in practice you are handing your assets over to that exchange; for larger amounts, many users prefer a hardware wallet or a self-custody wallet. Enabling two-factor authentication and using a separate password for each account are the bare minimum.

Bitcoin for Iranian users

On Iranian exchanges, Bitcoin is usually traded against both Toman and Tether. Its Toman price is roughly equal to Bitcoin's global dollar price multiplied by the Toman rate of Tether; that is why, even when the global price is flat, changes in the dollar and Tether rates in Iran move Bitcoin's Toman price.

Foreign exchanges usually prohibit serving residents of Iran under sanctions rules, and an account identified by an Iranian IP or documents may be restricted or blocked, with its assets locked for a while. Domestic exchanges, on the other hand, make buying with Toman easy, but their fees, liquidity, withdrawal limits and security levels vary, and domestic regulations sometimes restrict their rial payment gateways. Before choosing, check out the crypto exchange comparisons and reviews on Teagle, and follow the full list of cryptocurrencies in the crypto market section . To calculate position size and stop loss, the trading calculator will come in handy.

Risks you should take seriously

Bitcoin can lose or gain a large percentage of its value in a few days. Trading with leverage (futures) multiplies this risk and can wipe out your entire account balance in one sharp move. Only enter this market with money whose loss would not disrupt your life.

The information on this page is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell. Prices are obtained from the stated sources and may differ slightly from the rate at the exchange you use.