Bitcoin is a digital currency that uses peer-to-peer technology to facilitate transactions without a central authority. It was created 5 years ago and has grown significantly, with some speculating its rise will continue. Bitcoins can be obtained through product/service exchanges or mining, which is the process of validating transactions and receiving new bitcoins as a reward. While investing in bitcoins carries risk due to vulnerabilities and volatility, it may be ideal for places with problematic national currencies due to circumventing inflation. Regardless of mixed reactions, its growing popularity implies future success as a mainstream payment method.