什么是比特币以及如何投资它？

比特币是一种数字货币，您可以直接购买、出售和兑换，无需银行等中介机构。它是由一个不知名的人或一群人于 2009 年使用中本聪（Satoshi Nakamoto）的名字创建的。

Bitcoin began as a technology for payments, but today most people consider it to be an investment asset. People are adding Bitcoin to their IRAs, for example, as a way to save for retirement.

比特币最初是一种支付技术，但如今大多数人认为它是一种投资资产。例如，人们将比特币添加到他们的 IRA 中，作为退休储蓄的一种方式。

As a decentralized, digital asset, Bitcoin is a popular choice for people who want to add alternative assets to their portfolios. Many find cryptocurrency appealing as a hedge against inflation or as a way to get diversification. Bitcoin has experienced astronomical growth and has outpaced recent gains on major stock market indices, making it an attractive alternative.

作为一种去中心化的数字资产，比特币是那些想要将另类资产添加到投资组合中的人们的热门选择。许多人发现加密货币作为对冲通胀或实现多元化的一种方式很有吸引力。比特币经历了天文数字的增长，并且超过了主要股市指数近期的涨幅，使其成为一个有吸引力的替代品。

Here's a look at Bitcoin's price over the years.

这是多年来比特币的价格。

Bitcoin's price is impacted by several factors. Here's a closer look at some of the key drivers.

比特币的价格受到多种因素的影响。以下是一些关键驱动因素的详细介绍。

Investing in Bitcoin can take different forms. Here are some of the most popular ways to get started.

投资比特币可以采取不同的形式。以下是一些最流行的入门方法。

Bitcoin is still a relatively new asset, but it has displayed impressive past performance, and more and more companies are using it or accepting it as a payment method. As Bitcoin becomes more established, it may experience fewer fluctuations in price too.

比特币仍然是一种相对较新的资产，但它过去的表现令人印象深刻，越来越多的公司正在使用它或接受它作为支付方式。随着比特币变得更加成熟，它的价格波动也可能会减少。

“Bitcoin's price volatility is steadily decreasing over the years,” said Brady Swenson, co-founder and head of product marketing at Swan Bitcoin. “As a far more liquid asset, its price volatility is lower than relatively illiquid cryptos.”

Swan Bitcoin 联合创始人兼产品营销主管 Brady Swenson 表示：“多年来，比特币的价格波动性正在稳步下降。” “作为一种流动性更强的资产，其价格波动性低于流动性相对较差的加密货币。”

If you plan on holding onto your investment for the long haul, investing money into Bitcoin could be a good choice.

如果您打算长期持有投资，那么将资金投资于比特币可能是一个不错的选择。

“It's always a good time to invest in Bitcoin with a long-time horizon, [such as] 10 or more years,” said Swenson. “Cryptos are for gambling, not investing.”

“现在是长期投资比特币的好时机，例如 10 年或更长，”Swenson 说。 “加密货币是用来赌博的，而不是用来投资的。”

Although Bitcoin is the most well-known cryptocurrency, it's not the only investment option you have. When deciding where to invest your money, consider these alternatives.

尽管比特币是最知名的加密货币，但它并不是您唯一的投资选择。在决定将钱投资到哪里时，请考虑这些替代方案。