Bitcoin
BTC-USD
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About Bitcoin
By Liveworldmarket Editorial Team · Last reviewed 29 June 2026
Bitcoin (BTC) — A Practical Guide
Bitcoin is the world's first and largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, launched on 3 January 2009 by an anonymous developer or group operating under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin's monetary protocol enforces a hard cap of 21 million coins (of which ~19.7 million have been mined as of 2026), a fixed mining-reward schedule that halves every four years (the 'halving' events), and a proof-of-work consensus mechanism that secures the network through distributed energy-intensive computation.
Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day, 365 days a year across hundreds of cryptocurrency exchanges. Major institutional venues include CME Group (regulated futures), Coinbase, Kraken, Binance, OKX and Bybit. Liveworldmarket sources spot Bitcoin pricing from Yahoo Finance via the BTC-USD ticker, which aggregates pricing from multiple major exchanges. For institutional regulated exposure, CME-listed BTC futures (BTC contract, 5 BTC) and Micro Bitcoin (MBT, 0.1 BTC) are the most-watched contracts.
History & contract origins
Bitcoin's genesis block was mined on 3 January 2009. The first known commercial transaction was on 22 May 2010 ('Bitcoin Pizza Day') when developer Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas — the equivalent of roughly $1 billion at 2026 prices. Bitcoin crossed $1 in early 2011, $100 in 2013, $1,000 in late 2013, $10,000 in late 2017 (the first major bubble peak at $19,800 in December 2017), $50,000 in early 2021, $100,000 in late 2024, and reached a new all-time high above $120,000 in 2025.
Major drawdowns: 2014-15 Mt. Gox crash (-85%), 2018 post-bubble (-84%), 2022 Terra-Luna / FTX collapse cycle (-77%). Each drawdown was followed by a new all-time high within 2-3 years. Long-run BTC returns (CAGR 2010-2026) exceed 100% annualised — the highest of any major asset class in history, though with extreme volatility.
Trading hours & session layout
Bitcoin trades continuously, 24/7/365, with no formal session structure. Activity is concentrated during Asian + European + US business hours but never stops:
| Trading availability | 24/7/365 |
| Highest volume window | Asian afternoon + European morning (12:00 - 18:00 IST) |
| CME futures session | Sun 03:30 - Sat 02:30 IST (with daily break) |
Holiday calendar (typical annual closures)
Listed below are the major scheduled closures for the underlying exchange. Exact dates shift year-to-year — always verify against the exchange's official calendar before holding overnight positions across a holiday boundary.
| Holiday | Typical date |
|---|---|
| Spot crypto markets - never closed | |
| CME Bitcoin futures - same as CME equity futures calendar | Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc. |
How to read this tape
Read Bitcoin alongside three signals. First, US risk-on/risk-off sentiment — Bitcoin has increasingly correlated with the Nasdaq-100 (rolling 90-day correlation around 0.3-0.5) since 2020 institutional adoption began. Second, on-chain data — hash rate, exchange balances, net realised P&L from on-chain analytics firms (Glassnode, CryptoQuant) provide ecosystem-internal signals. Third, ETF flows — since January 2024 the US SEC has approved spot-BTC ETFs (BlackRock IBIT, Fidelity FBTC, Grayscale GBTC and others). Daily ETF net inflows / outflows are now a primary BTC demand signal.
Bitcoin's volatility (annualised typically 50-80%) makes it unsuitable as a portfolio-stabiliser. Most institutional allocations cap BTC at 1-5% of total portfolio.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bitcoin's hard cap?
21 million BTC. By the year 2140 (when the last fractional reward is mined), no new BTC will be issued. As of 2026, ~19.7 million BTC have been mined.
What is the Bitcoin halving?
Approximately every 4 years (210,000 blocks), the mining reward per block halves. Halvings have occurred in November 2012, July 2016, May 2020, and April 2024. Each halving reduces new BTC issuance and historically has preceded major bull cycles.
Is Bitcoin legal in India?
Crypto trading is legal in India but heavily taxed. As of 2026, India imposes a 30% flat tax on crypto gains plus a 1% TDS on all crypto transactions above ₹50,000. The RBI has historically been skeptical of crypto but Parliament has not banned it. Always consult a CA before crypto trading.
How does Bitcoin correlate with traditional markets?
Increasingly correlated with US risk assets since 2020 institutional adoption (rolling correlation with Nasdaq-100 typically 0.3-0.5). Bitcoin is no longer the 'uncorrelated digital gold' it was in 2015-2019 — it now behaves partly like a high-beta risk asset, partly like a long-duration asset sensitive to rates.
Can Indian residents buy Bitcoin?
Yes, via Indian exchanges (CoinDCX, WazirX, ZebPay, CoinSwitch). 30% capital gains tax + 1% TDS apply. Cross-border crypto transfers face additional compliance requirements under FEMA.
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Editorial article. Information only — not investment advice. Read our Risk Disclaimer before acting on any market data shown here.