How Bitcoin Works

Blocks & Miners

Transactions are grouped into blocks. Miners compete to add the next block using energy and hardware. This makes rewriting history extremely expensive.

Halving

About every 4 years, the new coin issuance per block halves. Over time, rewards rely more on transaction fees.

Addresses & Confirmations

An address is where you receive bitcoin. A confirmation means your transaction is in a block. More confirmations = more finality.

Lightning (Optional)

The Lightning Network lets people send very small payments instantly by opening channels. It’s great for everyday, low-value payments.

Fees & Mempool

Transactions wait in the mempool until a miner includes them in a block. Higher fees move faster during congestion.

Confirmations & Risk

For small payments, 0–1 confirmation may be fine; for larger amounts, wait for more confirmations to reduce risk.