Bitcoin Turns 17 Years Old
Bitcoin celebrated its 17th anniversary on January 3, 2026, marking the date in 2009 when its genesis block was mined in Helsinki, rewarding its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, with 50 BTC. This first block famously contained a headline from The Times referencing the 2008 financial crisis, signaling Bitcoin's purpose as an alternative to the traditional financial system.
The first transaction occurred over a week later when Nakamoto sent 10 BTC to developer Hal Finney. Initially worthless, Bitcoin's first known commercial sale was in October 2009, valued at roughly $0.001 per coin. From that point, its value grew astronomically, reaching parity with the US dollar in 2011 and overcoming significant milestones: $100 in 2013, $1,000 later that year, $10,000 in 2017, and $50,000 in early 2021.
The asset experienced extreme volatility, with dramatic crashes following its peaks, such as an 87% drop in 2013 and a 67% fall after the 2021 bull run. A new cycle culminated in a historic peak of $126,200 in October 2025, driven by factors including institutional adoption of Bitcoin ETFs and the US presidential election. As of the article's writing, the price was around $89,000 with a market cap of $1.77 trillion.
Once a niche asset, Bitcoin is now seriously considered by major financial institutions like JPMorgan, BlackRock, and Vanguard, as well as nation-states including El Salvador and the US, which have established national Bitcoin reserves. In Russia, Sberbank has conducted its first crypto-collateralized loan, and the central bank views Bitcoin mining as a potential factor in strengthening the national currency.
RBK-crypto01/03 08:48
