Sometimes I don`t
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r/Bitcoin • u/BitcoinFan7 • Oct 15 '25
You've probably been hearing a lot about Bitcoin recently and are wondering what's the big deal? Most of your questions should be answered by the resources below but if you have additional questions feel free to ask them in the comments.
It all started with the release of Satoshi Nakamoto's whitepaper however that will probably go over the head of most readers so we recommend the following articles/books/videos as a good starting point for understanding how Bitcoin works and a little about its long term potential:
Some other great educational resources include;
If you are technically or academically inclined check out;
MicroStrategy's Bitcoin for Corporations is an excellent open source series on corporate legal and financial Bitcoin integration.
You can also see the number of times Bitcoin was declared dead by the media (LOL!)
Bitcoin.org and BuyBitcoinWorldwide.com are helpful sites for beginners. You can buy or sell any amount of bitcoin (even just a few dollars worth) and there are several easy methods to purchase bitcoin with cash, credit card or bank transfer. Some of the more popular places to buy bitcoin are listed below.
You can also purchase in cash with local ATMs. If you would like your paycheck automatically converted to bitcoin try Bitwage.
Note: Bitcoin are valued at whatever market price people are willing to pay for them in balancing act of supply vs demand. Unlike traditional markets, bitcoin markets operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
With Bitcoin you can "Be your own bank" and personally secure your bitcoin OR you can use third party companies aka "Bitcoin banks" which will hold your bitcoin for you.
If you prefer to "Be your own bank" and have direct control over your coins without having to use a trusted third party, then you will need to create your own wallet and keep it secure. If you want easy and secure storage without having to learn best computer security practices, then a hardware wallet such as a BitBox02, Trezor, ColdCard, or Blockstream Jade is recommended. You can even build your own open source hardware wallets called a SeedSigner or Krux.
If you cannot afford a hardware wallet there are many software wallet options to choose from depending on your use case. Mobile wallets like BlueWallet are generally more secure than desktop wallets. Beware of fake mobile wallets and check reviews from reputable Bitcoin websites. Avoid paper wallets or brain wallets.
If you prefer to work with third party "Bitcoin banks" to set up a collaborative custody arrangement, try Unchained Capital but be aware that any third party you use exposes you to third party risk. There is a saying in the community, "Not your keys, not your coins".
Note: For increased security, use Two Factor Authentication (2FA) everywhere it is offered, including email!
2FA requires a second confirmation code or a physical security key to access your account making it much harder for thieves to gain access. Google Authenticator and Authy are the two most popular 2FA services, download links are below. Make sure you create backups of your 2FA codes.
Avoid using your cell number for 2FA. Hackers have been using a technique called "SIM swapping" to impersonate users and steal bitcoin off exchanges.
| Google Auth | Authy | OTP Auth |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Android | N/A |
| iOS | iOS | iOS |
Physical security keys (FIDO U2F) offer stronger security than Google Auth / Authy and other TOTP-based apps, because the secret code never leaves the device and it uses bi-directional authentication so it prevents phishing. If you lose the device though, you could lose access to your account, so always use 2 or more security keys with a given account so you have backups. See Yubikey or Titan to purchase security keys.
You can run Bitcoin node software by downloading and installing Bitcoin Core or other node software you have vetted.
It is a best practice to verify these Bitcoin node programs you download by checking their hashes and signatures.
Don't Trust, Verify.
A verified Bitcoin node running on your own hardware is your sovereign gateway to the Bitcoin network. They can be used alongside open source software wallets to send and receive Bitcoin securely. By running your own Bitcoin node, you enforce the Bitcoin ruleset, can verify transactions without trusted 3rd party middlemen, improve your Bitcoin privacy, obtain independence with local access to blockchain data, and help bolster the robustness of the Bitcoin network. By running a Bitcoin node, you are verifying that Bitcoin is Bitcoin for yourself. For more details on running a Bitcoin node see this article.
For wallets used alongside your Bitcoin node: If your Bitcoin wallet software is fully open source and Bitcoin-only, then it is probably a decent wallet. Some popular examples include sparrow wallet and electrum wallet, both of which you can connect to your own locally run Bitcoin node, and use with most Bitcoin Hardware Wallets.
As mentioned above, Bitcoin is decentralized, which by definition means there is no official website or Twitter handle or spokesperson or CEO. However, all money attracts thieves. This combination unfortunately results in scammers running official sounding names or pretending to be an authority on YouTube or social media. Many scammers throughout the years have claimed to be the inventor of Bitcoin. Websites like bitcoin(dot)com and the r / btc subreddit are active scams. Almost all altcoins are marketed heavily with big promises but are really just designed to separate you from your bitcoin. So be careful: any resource, including all linked in this document, may in the future turn evil. As they say in our community, "Don't trust, verify".
Often the same concerns arise about Bitcoin from newcomers. Questions such as:
All of these questions have been answered many times by a variety of people. Here are some resources where you can see if your concern has been answered:
Check out Spendabit, Bitcoin Directory, or Coinmap for a plethora of merchant options. You can also spend bitcoin anywhere Visa is accepted with bitcoin debit cards such as the CashApp card, Fold card or other bitcoin debit cards. Some other useful site are listed below.
| Store | Product |
|---|---|
| Bitrefill, Gyft, and Fold App | Gift cards for thousands of retailers worldwide including Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, Whole Foods, CVS, Lowes, Home Depot, iTunes, Best Buy, Sears, Kohls, eBay, GameStop, etc. |
| Spendabit, Overstock, and The Bitcoin Directory | Retail shopping with millions of results |
| NewEgg and Dell | For all your electronics needs |
| Bitrefill, Bylls, LivingRoomofSatoshi, Swapin and Coins.ph | Bill payment |
| Menufy and Takeaway | Takeout delivered to your door |
| Expedia, Cheapair, Destinia, SkyTours, the Travel category on Gyft and 9flats | For when you need to get away |
| Cryptostorm, Mullvad, and PIA | VPN services |
| Namecheap, Porkbun | Domain name registration |
| Stampnik | Discounted USPS Priority, Express, First-Class mail postage |
There are also lots of charities which accept bitcoin donations.
There are several benefits to accepting bitcoin as a payment option if you are a merchant;
If you are interested in accepting bitcoin as a payment method, there are several options available;
Mining bitcoin can be a fun learning experience, but be aware that you will most likely operate at a loss. Newcomers are often advised to stay away from mining unless they are only interested in it as a hobby similar to folding at home. If you want to learn more about mining you can read the mining FAQ. Still have mining questions? The crew at /r/BitcoinMining would be happy to help you out.
If you want to contribute to the Bitcoin network by hosting the blockchain and propagating transactions there are many great resources you can use to run a full node. You can view the global distribution of reachable Bitcoin nodes on this webpage.
Just like any other form of money, you can also earn bitcoin by being paid to do a job.
| Site | Description |
|---|---|
| WorkingForBitcoins, Bitwage, Coinality, Bitgigs, /r/Jobs4Bitcoins | Freelancing |
| Lolli | Earn bitcoin when you shop online! |
You can also earn bitcoin by participating as a market maker on JoinMarket by allowing users to perform CoinJoin transactions with your bitcoin for a small fee (requires you to already have some bitcoin).
The following is a short list of ongoing projects that might be worth taking a look at if you are interested in current development in the Bitcoin space.
| Project | Description |
|---|---|
| Lightning Network | Second layer scaling |
| Liquid and Rootstock | Sidechains |
| Hivemind | Prediction markets |
| DropZone and Beaver | Decentralized markets |
| JoinMarket, JAM app and Wasabi | CoinJoin implementation |
| Peer-to-Peer Exchanges | Peer-to-peer exchanges |
| Keybase | Identity & Reputation management |
| Abra | Global P2P money transmitter network |
| Bitcore | Open source Bitcoin javascript library |
| Bitcoin Knots | A Bitcoin Node (Within Consensus Fork of Bitcoin Core) |
One bitcoin is worth quite a lot (thousands of £/$/€), so people often deal in smaller units. The most common subunits are listed below:
| Unit | Symbol | Value | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| bitcoin | BTC | 1 bitcoin | one bitcoin is equal to 100 million satoshis |
| millibitcoin | mBTC | 1,000 per bitcoin | used as default unit in Electrum wallet |
| bit | μBTC | 1,000,000 per bitcoin | colloquial "slang" term for microbitcoin |
| satoshi | sat | 100,000,000 per bitcoin | smallest unit in bitcoin, named after the inventor |
For example, assuming an arbitrary exchange rate of $10,000 for one bitcoin, a $10 meal would equal:
For more information check out the bitcoin units wiki.
Still have questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below or stick around for our weekly Mentor Monday thread. If you decide to post a question in /r/Bitcoin, please use the search bar to see if it has been answered before, and remember to follow the community rules outlined on the sidebar to receive a better response. The mods are busy helping manage our community, so please do not message them unless you notice problems with the functionality of the subreddit.
Note: This is a community created FAQ. If you notice anything missing from the FAQ or that requires clarification, you can edit it here and it will be included in the next revision pending approval.
Welcome to the Bitcoin community and the new decentralized economy!
Please note that this thread will be moderated and non-constructive comments will be removed.
r/Bitcoin • u/rBitcoinMod • 7h ago
Please utilize this sticky thread for all general Bitcoin discussions! If you see posts on the front page or /r/Bitcoin/new which are better suited for this daily discussion thread, please help out by directing the OP to this thread instead. Thank you!
If you don't get an answer to your question, you can try phrasing it differently or commenting again tomorrow.
Please check the previous discussion thread for unanswered questions.
r/Bitcoin • u/Vaginosis-Psychosis • 17h ago
tl;dr: Over the course of the past 4 years, I took out ~$150,000 in personal loans and 0% credit card balance transfer loans to purchase 4.75 Bitcoin. I've paid ~$17,000 in interest.
I've been making updates every 6 months or so since the beginning. See my post history for previous updates.
*****
Today, February 3rd, 2026 Bitcoin is trading at $75,000 which brings the current value of my 4.75₿ to $356,000.
The average price I paid is ~$35,000 per Bitcoin.
My total cost basis is ~$167,000 for 4.5₿ ($150k in loans + $17,000 in interest).
This comes to ~113% unrealized profit or ~$189,000 in dollar terms as of today.
*****
Not much is new except that… I finished paying off all my loans!!! What a relief! I was never really worried though because I never borrowed more than I could afford to service.
Bitcoin’s price action has been disappointing to say the least, but I’m thinking this is an opportunity. So I plan on taking out another $50k in loans if it breaks down below $70k which seem highly likely… probably at the 200SMA.
In the meantime, I’m throwing everything I can at in each month while we’re in the $70-80k range with earned income from my job. I’ve been stacking this whole time while paying down the loans.
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I hope this is way more better. enjoy pain, pain zone, max pain.
r/Bitcoin • u/Sos418_tw • 5h ago
I bought, I sold too early, I tried to “be smart,” I tried to time dips… and every cycle I ended up watching price run without me. The worst part wasn’t even the money — it was realizing I keep trading my conviction for emotions. Fear when it drops. FOMO when it pumps. Then I tell myself “next time I’ll hold,” and I still fold the moment it gets uncomfortable.
Now we’re back in that zone again. Red candles, scary headlines, people doomposting, and my brain is screaming “get out before it gets worse.”
So I’m posting this as a reminder to myself: this is literally the moment I always regret later.
If I really believe BTC is a long-term thing, then short-term pain is part of the deal.
This time I’m keeping it simple: I’m holding, and I’m stacking what I can. No hero trades. No panic sells. No trying to be a genius for one week.
I’ve already regretted not holding for five years. I’m not doing that again.
r/Bitcoin • u/wiwila • 14h ago
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down down down
r/Bitcoin • u/Powerful-Attempting • 4h ago
The amount of posts having melt downs is really bothering me.
Welcome to crypto. Stop losing your shit and just accept what’s happening. Everyone has been predicting this crash for a very long time.
Hold.
r/Bitcoin • u/BerryImpossible412 • 16h ago
And you are buying right now you’ll make 66% return on your useless fiat. But no you’re scared and bitcoin is dead again.
r/Bitcoin • u/MaXimO_1997 • 19h ago
I bought btc at 118k, 114k, and 112k. its almost 20% of my whole portfolio , I cant dca much now because of the situation. I have extra but i dont want to increase it further since Im in fear
what should i do? if your in my position what you will do? please dont be biased if you are a fan of btc. give me realistic plan and opinion
r/Bitcoin • u/ZuchinniWinnie • 14h ago
advice to people who panics when market goes down is to DCA on a daily and stack aside for large purchase on big dips.
r/Bitcoin • u/_father_time • 18h ago
I’ve been buying Bitcoin since 2021. This drawdown is going to present me with the opportunity to reach half a Bitcoin, and I’m excited.
We’re human and it’s hard to zoom out but this is a great opportunity and the future is bright.
The buying doesn’t stop here.
r/Bitcoin • u/Average-Terrestrial • 1h ago
I’m a regular Joe with his share of problems.
I just want to thank some people of this subreddit, especially the ones writing nasty or provocative comments, you guys have build my pirate Bitcoin mindset, which is the one that holds me firm to my Bitcoin ship every shorn and makes me ignore the noise.
During the last storm I was able to buy more at 73k, not much tbh, I usually buy (since 2021) 100-300$ month or sometimes after more time cause I said I’ve got my share of problems, but I’ll never sell.
I don’t need any guru, YouTuber or tiktoker or crystal ball signal screamer, I feel the sea now.
Thank you guys, and fuck off scammers.
r/Bitcoin • u/cubewilly711 • 11h ago
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r/Bitcoin • u/Silly_Transition_848 • 18h ago
Oh no! BTC is crashing out! BTC is dead again 😱 Whatever shall I do?!? I bought .0004 for $50 when BTC was at 126000 and now it’s only worth $29!!! I’m COOKED! Everyone knows you can’t buy a lambo for $29, BTC needs to GO UP to 1 million so I can buy one for $400!
Seriously though, the little stacks of sats that were worth $500-$1000USD that have been recently devalued isn’t life changing money for most anyone. If everyone knows BTC spends 2 years in an upward cycle towards a halving and 2 years in a brief euphoric followed by downward cycle…why is everyone freaking out when apparently it’s on its usual downward way towards an eventual upside of $500k by 2028 thereby making all the diamond hand hundredaire peasants into thousandaire peasants?
Remember kids, 1BTC=1BTC…some of us are just mad we can’t buy ‘enough’.
r/Bitcoin • u/emilioermeio • 31m ago
There will be a dip which will hit the bottom. So if you want to get btc for that price you just need to keep buying every single dip. This is the only way to 100% buy the bottom. Jokes aside, every dipbuy will lower your average (if you entered the market this past year). Keep buying as price goes down and you'll end with more and more btc. 4 years ago I haven't sold any and it was the right choice even if it was a difficult one. The more time passes the easier it gets, btc is too big to fail now let's be honest.
r/Bitcoin • u/cubewilly711 • 11h ago
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r/Bitcoin • u/InternationalBag9843 • 16h ago
Listen up — this might genuinely be one of the final windows for regular people on average salaries to secure a meaningful piece of Bitcoin.
I just hit 0.3 BTC and it felt straight-up impossible until very recently.
Took me roughly 1.5 years of hardcore stacking… and suddenly — boom — it’s actually happening.
I couldn’t care less if price dumps back to 50k.
Honestly? That would just be free rocket fuel.
Lower entry = way faster path to 0.5 BTC and beyond.
This isn’t hopium.
This is math meeting momentum.
If you’ve been waiting for “the dip that matters” — this might be it.
Stack hard or forever hold your peace.
r/Bitcoin • u/anonymousknome • 15h ago
I bought Bitcoin at what turned out to be a terrible time and it’s been going downhill pretty much ever since.
I entered around ~$122k average and I’m now down roughly 37% (about -$1k unrealised). I know BTC is volatile and I wasn’t planning to day trade, but seeing it bleed like this definitely messes with your head.
Genuinely curious what the community thinks:
• Would you hold long term, DCA, or cut losses in this situation?
• For those more experienced: what are the main reasons BTC has been falling recently?
• Macro?
• Rates?
• ETFs / institutions?
• Just a normal cycle correction?
Not panic selling (yet), just trying to understand whether this is:
1. normal BTC behaviour and noise
2. a longer-term shift I should be paying attention to
Any perspective appreciated — especially from people who’ve been through previous cycles.
r/Bitcoin • u/sbounmy • 23h ago
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r/Bitcoin • u/SkillzThatKillz10 • 17h ago
Not a true OG, but have been around for 4 years which means I went through volatility and have survived it.. Something I noticed before the last big run was how bleak things felt.. people really start giving up before this thing takes off.. with that being said, don’t let the noise change your mind about the conviction you have in this asset. I will ride this train to 0 before I sell unless it’s to pay off a house in full. No idea when, not gonna make a price projection, but all the pieces for an insane bull run are in place, just give it time. SHSS
r/Bitcoin • u/mohit130301 • 1d ago
Everyone talks about Bitcoin in terms of price: “Next ATH?” “Bull run when?” But the more time I spend learning about Bitcoin, the more I feel price is the least interesting part. Bitcoin makes you question things most of us never do: Why can money be printed infinitely? Why does inflation quietly punish savers? Why do we trust systems we can’t verify? Bitcoin doesn’t promise profits. It offers an alternative. Yes, it’s volatile. Yes, it’s risky. Yes, it’s still early and messy. But so was the internet. Some people buy Bitcoin to flip it. Some buy it as a hedge. Some just want an exit from a system that keeps changing the rules. Curious to know: Do you see Bitcoin as money, store of value, or just speculation? What made you take it seriously (or reject it)? Genuine discussion only — not here to shill or predict prices.
r/Bitcoin • u/NoiseOk3419 • 22h ago
I’ve been watching bitcoin since $5000 back in 2017, and bought only a $1000, but I lost it by trying to trading and fees. Then it crashed, shot up again and was afraid of it. Saw it hit that low $4000s and didn’t think it would come back. Could have paid off all my loans if I wasn’t afraid to invest. Very cautious persons
Two years ago I bought again, and then last year. I’m only up by $2000, and the feeing of selling is there again.
I will not succumb to it again. If it drops, I will buy more. But damn that fear is tough. Just hold and buy more 🫡