Back in 2009, when someone using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto first introduced Bitcoin to the world, most people didn't know what to make of it.
Nearly the entire 21 million supply of cryptocurrency was untouched. But as the years rolled on, something remarkable happened.
Bitcoin began gaining traction, first among libertarians and tech enthusiasts, then gradually spreading to mainstream investors.
By 2017, it had captured global attention during a massive price surge that saw it briefly touch $20,000 per coin.
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The earliest Bitcoin adopters were essentially laughed at when they announced their plans to pour their money into this experimental digital asset. Yet those same people are now enjoying enormous returns from their risky bets.
While some people have abandoned hope of recovering their lost Bitcoin after decade-long searches, others, like rapper 50 Cent, accidentally stumbled upon a crypto fortune worth millions when he rediscovered digital coins he'd completely forgotten about.
Bitcoin is now at a point where even the President Donald Trump has placed a great emphasis on its potential for the economy and the world's highest IQ holder predicts the cryptocurrency will reach an insane value this month.
But Bitcoin has a limit of 21 million coins built into its code, which means 17 years after its launch, there is only a limited amount left to mine.
As of February 2026, about 19,127,250 BTC have already been mined. That's around 90 percent of the total supply, which means only 1,872,750 (8.9%) are still available, according to SuperCar Blondie.
With Bitcoin recently reaching an all-time peak of around $120,781, competition for what's left is becoming more intense. At the same time, billionaire investors are warning that the cryptocurrency could be in jeopardy alongside the US dollar.
Bitcoin's value dropped by more than $5,000 since a sharp decline back in mid-January, which followed Trump's announcement of additional NATO-targeted tariffs amid pushback against his attempted acquisition of Greenland.
Besides high-profile investors and billionaire investors having a large stake in the pie, everyday individuals actually own the majority - 62.7% of all Bitcoin, totalling about 13,156,748 BTC.
Meanwhile, ETFs and funds hold 7.6 percent, companies account for 5.6 percent, and governments sit on around 3.1 percent, which works out to roughly 647,000 BTC, as per SuperCar Blondie.
Although the last Bitcoin won't be mined until roughly 2140, about 2,550,000 BTC (12.1%) remains permanently lost in forgotten wallets. This means a substantial chunk of Bitcoin's supply is effectively locked away forever.