Bitcoin is an internet payment network and also the cryptocurrency used in this network. The main uniqueness of bitcoin is its full decentralization; it is designed so that no one, not the author or other individuals, groups or governments, can influence the currency, counterfeit it, seize accounts, control the money flow or cause inflation. There is no central point in the network, nor is there anyone who can make decisions about the network. The final amount of bitcoins is known in advance and the release of bitcoins into circulation is defined in the protocol source code.
