In 2008, an unknown person using the name Satoshi Nakamoto published the original Bitcoin whitepaper — a vision for a digital currency without banks or governments.
On January 3rd, 2009, the first Bitcoin block — the Genesis Block — was mined. It included a hidden message: "The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks," highlighting Bitcoin's mission as an alternative to the financial system.
In 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz made the first real-world Bitcoin purchase: 10,000 BTC for two pizzas — now celebrated every May 22nd as Bitcoin Pizza Day!
Satoshi Nakamoto mined over 1 million BTC and then disappeared around 2010–2011, leaving behind a revolutionary open-source project.