The cryptocurrency has seen its journey traced back to a historic remark attributed to Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Alex Thorn, Head of Research at Galaxy Digital, shared the statement in a tweet, believed to have been made in January 2009: “Why not just get some in case it takes off.”
As Bitcoin approaches it’s 16th anniversary celebration, this statement has reemerged. By January 3, 2009, Nakamoto mined Bitcoin’s genesis block, the genesis block, Block 0.
Embedded within this block was a now-iconic message: *Times 03/Jan/2009: Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks – The Times 03/Jan/2009. It was this that referred to a headline from *The Times* and the fact that its financial instability of the time presaged the BTC narrative of an alternative monetary system.
From $0 to $98,208: Tracing Bitcoin’s Historic Price Evolution
Its white paper was first published on October 31, 2008, but January 3, 2009 is widely considered its real birthday. Major exchanges, prominent figures and enthusiasts have been sending celebratory messages across the cryptocurrency community marking the occasion and celebrating Bitcoin’s amazing rise.
Thorn posted a visual which showed Bitcoin’s price history from the time it was launched. At its January 3, 2025, valuation of $96,547, BTC was first valued at $0 in 2009. The cryptocurrency’s market cap is now $1.93 trillion after reaching a peak of $2 trillion in December 2024.
Nakamoto’s 2009 statement about Bitcoin seems prophetic in the movement of its career. During the last 16 years, BTC changed from a niche experiment into a bedrock for the world monetary system. On December 17, the cryptocurrency’s all time high was reached at $108,268.
At $98,208 today, BTC is still a leading digital asset trading today. The statement which encouraged early adoption was Nakamoto’s vision of BTC, and adds testament to its staying power and growing impact in the financial world.
