In 2008, a person who called himself Satoshi Nakamoto proposed the basic idea of Bitcoin on the Internet.
In January 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto released the earliest Bitcoin computing software and calculated the first block.
In 2009, a user paid $5.02 through PayPal to purchase 5,050 bitcoins, marking the first time bitcoin was traded with legal currency.
In May 2010, someone offered a reward of 10,000 bitcoins to buy two pizzas, marking the first time bitcoin was used to purchase physical goods.
In July 2010, the world's first Bitcoin exchange, MT.Gox, was founded in Tokyo and once became the world's largest Bitcoin exchange.
In February 2011, the price of Bitcoin reached $1 for the first time, attracting massive attention.
In June 2013, the German Parliament decided to exempt Bitcoin from tax if held for more than one year. This move was considered a disguised recognition of the legality of Bitcoin.
In December 2013, the central bank and five ministries jointly issued the “Notice on Preventing Bitcoin Risks,” denying the currency attributes of Bitcoin. Domestic payment institutions began to stop supporting transfers and withdrawals on Bitcoin trading platforms.
In February 2014, MT.Gox, the world's largest Bitcoin exchange, went bankrupt due to a hacker attack.
In December 2016, the price of Bitcoin exceeded $1,000 for the first time.
In September 2017, the People's Bank of China, the Cyberspace Administration of China and seven other departments jointly issued the "Announcement on Preventing the Risks of Token Issuance and Financing", which defined ICO as an act of illegal public financing without approval, and required the cleanup and rectification of ICO platforms and the organization of the liquidation of ICO tokens.
In February 2021, the price of Bitcoin exceeded $50,000 for the first time.
In March 2021, Tesla announced support for Bitcoin transactions, and the price of Bitcoin rose sharply.
In June 2021, El Salvador passed the Salvador Bitcoin Act, becoming the first country in the world to grant legal status to digital currency.
In September 2021, the Central Bank of Cuba announced a resolution recognizing cryptocurrencies as a legal method of payment in the country.
In September 2021, the People's Bank of China issued a notice on further preventing and dealing with the risks of speculation in virtual currency transactions. The notice pointed out that virtual currency does not have the same legal status as legal currency.
In January 2022, the price of Bitcoin fell from a high of $69,000 to around $40,000.