When was the first cryptocurrency created?

The first cryptocurrency created was Bitcoin, which was introduced by an individual or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The concept of Bitcoin was first described in a whitepaper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System," published by Satoshi Nakamoto in October 2008. This whitepaper outlined the fundamental principles of Bitcoin, including its decentralized nature, the use of cryptographic techniques for security, and the concept of a blockchain as a distributed ledger to record transactions.

Bitcoin officially came into existence with the mining of its genesis block, known as Block 0 or the "Genesis Block," on January 3, 2009. This marked the beginning of the Bitcoin blockchain and the launch of the first decentralized cryptocurrency.

Since the creation of Bitcoin, thousands of other cryptocurrencies (often referred to as altcoins) have been developed, each with its own unique features, use cases, and underlying technology. However, Bitcoin remains the pioneering cryptocurrency that laid the foundation for the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem and blockchain technology.