Bitcoin basics
Bitcoin can be divided into much smaller units. Knowing the names makes wallet balances, fees and payment amounts easier to understand.
₿
1 bitcoinequals 100,000,000 satoshis
Bitcoin units at a glance
| Unit | Symbol | Value in BTC | Satoshis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | BTC | 1 BTC | 100,000,000 sats |
| Millibitcoin | mBTC | 0.001 BTC | 100,000 sats |
| Microbitcoin / bit | μBTC | 0.000001 BTC | 100 sats |
| Satoshi | sat | 0.00000001 BTC | 1 sat |
Bitcoin (BTC)
The main unit used for prices and larger balances. One BTC contains 100 million satoshis.
Millibitcoin (mBTC)
One thousandth of a bitcoin. One mBTC equals 100,000 satoshis.
Microbitcoin (μBTC)
One millionth of a bitcoin, sometimes called a bit. One μBTC equals 100 satoshis.
Satoshi (sat)
The smallest unit recorded by Bitcoin. Satoshis are useful for small payments and fees.
Why smaller units are useful
Writing small Bitcoin amounts as satoshis is often clearer than counting many zeros after the decimal point. For example, 0.0001 BTC can also be written as 10,000 sats.