The genesis block
Block zero — Bitcoin's first block, mined January 3, 2009, with a message inside.
In plain words
The genesis block is block zero — Bitcoin's first, built into every copy of the software. Satoshi mined it on January 3, 2009, and sealed a newspaper headline inside: "The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks." A timestamp, and a verdict. Its 50-coin reward can never be spent; Bitcoin's first coins sit frozen at the bottom of the chain forever.
Why it matters
- Every node checks its copy of history back to this block.
- The headline ties Bitcoin's birth to the 2008 bank bailouts.
- It fixes Bitcoin's birthday: January 3, 2009.
Numbers that matter
- January 3, 2009 — mined.
- 50 BTC — its reward, frozen forever.
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Updated 2026-07-29