Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that was created in 2009 as a decentralized digital currency not controlled by any central authority like a bank. It uses cryptography to secure transactions and generate new units of currency. Transactions are recorded on a public ledger called the blockchain. New bitcoins are "mined" by solving complex math problems, and the total number that can ever be created is limited to 21 million. While bitcoin offers advantages like instant transactions and anonymity, it also has risks like high volatility and the inability to recover funds if private keys are lost.