What is a Bitcoin miner?

A Bitcoin miner is a participant in the decentralized network that processes and verifies transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain. They use powerful computers to solve complex mathematical puzzles, known as proof-of-work algorithms, to validate and confirm transactions.

Miners compete with each other to find a solution to the mathematical problem, and the first one to solve it gets to add a new block of transactions to the blockchain. As a reward for their efforts, miners receive newly created bitcoins as well as transaction fees associated with the transactions they confirm.

The process of mining serves two main purposes: it verifies the legitimacy of transactions and adds them to the blockchain, and it also releases new bitcoins into circulation, thus creating an incentive for miners to participate in the network and maintain its security and integrity.