Bitcoin's humble beginnings mining to mining pools

Bitcoin was invented in 2008 by an anonymous person or group of people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto and started in 2009 when its source code was released as open-source software.

Satoshi Nakamoto released the Bitcoin white paper in 2008, which outlined the basis for a decentralized digital currency that could be used to buy and sell online without the need for intermediaries. In 2009, Nakamoto released the Bitcoin software as open-source code, and mining began shortly thereafter.

Bitcoin's price has seen a lot of volatility over the years, but has generally trended upwards. As more people have started using and investing in Bitcoin, its price has increased. However, there have been a few sharp drops along the way, including one in early 2018 when it lost around 50% of its value in just a few months.

Despite these fluctuations, Bitcoin has become increasingly popular as an investment and store of value. Many people see it as a hedge against inflation and believe that it will continue to increase in value over time.