Bitcoin was created in 2008 by an unknown individual or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, who published a whitepaper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System." Nakamoto released the first Bitcoin software in 2009 and mined the genesis block, initiating the Bitcoin network. Over the next few years, Nakamoto communicated with other developers and enthusiasts, gradually handing over control of the network's code and repositories. By 2011, Nakamoto had disappeared from public view, leaving behind a decentralized community to continue the project.