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Bitcoin launched on January 3, 2009 when an anonymous figure known as Satoshi Nakamoto mined the first block, or what is otherwise known as the “Genesis Block”. Satoshi introduced Bitcoin to other individuals over the web through forums, and thus, the network began growing in a grass roots fashion. The first uses included wagers for dice games and purchasing items on the dark web, but not all sought to fund their vices with Bitcoin. Many people saw Bitcoin as a digital gold- an incorruptible asset with a finite supply quickly became valuable to many from around the globe.
Over a decade later, the number of people that also share this vision is multitudes higher and continues to grow. While there are questions about the scalability of Bitcoin for its use in everyday payments, it has continued its dominance due to its primary use as a digital gold. It is responsible for spawning much of the innovation we see in the blockchain space today. Bitcoin has the strongest network effects and has had the largest overall market cap during the duration of its existence.
