What Is a Satoshi and Where Does the Name Come From

Bitcoin splits into very small fractions, and it's worth understanding this if you use crypto even occasionally. The smallest unit of Bitcoin is called a satoshi — here's what matters to know about it.

Key Takeaways

• A satoshi is the smallest unit of Bitcoin, equal to one hundred-millionth of a BTC (0.00000001 BTC)
• The name honors Satoshi Nakamoto — the pseudonym of Bitcoin's creator or creators
• There are 100,000,000 satoshis in one Bitcoin
• At a Bitcoin price of around $79,000, one satoshi is worth about $0.00079 — less than a tenth of a cent
• Satoshis can be obtained by buying them, receiving them as payment, or earning them through mining

Where the name comes from

The satoshi is named after Satoshi Nakamoto — the pseudonym of the person or group who published the Bitcoin white paper in 2008 and created the network's first version. The real identity behind this pseudonym has never been confirmed. The unit's name is a tribute to the technology's creator, rather than a reference to any specific event or product.

How many satoshis are in one Bitcoin

One Bitcoin divides into 100,000,000 (one hundred million) satoshis. This is built into the Bitcoin protocol itself and cannot be changed. For comparison: a dollar divides into just 100 cents, meaning a satoshi is a much smaller fraction of a Bitcoin than a cent is of a dollar.

There's also a unit called "millibitcoin" (mBTC) — one thousandth of a Bitcoin, equal to 100,000 satoshis — but satoshi is the term used more often in everyday context.

Why such a small unit is needed

While one Bitcoin costs tens of thousands of dollars, buying or spending a whole coin isn't practical for most everyday transactions. Satoshis make it possible to:

• Make micropayments — transfer amounts worth a fraction of a cent
• Precisely express network rates and fees, which are often measured per unit of data in satoshis
• Make crypto accessible to people with a small budget — you can buy just a few satoshis rather than a whole coin

How much is one satoshi worth right now

At a Bitcoin price of around $79,000, one satoshi is worth about $0.00079 — less than a tenth of a cent. For reference:

• 100 satoshis ≈ $0.08
• 1,000 satoshis ≈ $0.79
• 100,000 satoshis (0.001 BTC) ≈ $79

This is an approximate calculation for a specific moment — Bitcoin's price is highly volatile and can shift significantly in either direction, so the dollar value of a satoshi moves along with it.

How to get satoshis

There are a few ways to own satoshis:

• Buy them on an exchange — most platforms let you buy a fraction of a Bitcoin rather than a whole coin, down to just a few satoshis
• Receive them as payment — some merchants accept Bitcoin, and the payment or change can be denominated in satoshis
• Earn them through mining — miners receive rewards for confirming blocks on the Bitcoin network, and that reward is denominated in satoshis/BTC

Mining is, in fact, the only way new Bitcoin — and therefore new satoshis — enters circulation: there's no other way to "create" a Bitcoin.

FAQ

How many satoshis are in one Bitcoin?

Exactly 100,000,000 (one hundred million) satoshis make up one Bitcoin — this is a fixed value built into the protocol.

Why is the unit called a satoshi?

It's named after Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonym of Bitcoin's creator, whose real identity remains unknown.

Can you buy less than one satoshi?

No, a satoshi is the smallest indivisible unit in the Bitcoin protocol — it can't be split any further.

How do I find the current value of one satoshi?

Divide the current Bitcoin price in dollars by 100,000,000 — the same way you'd calculate any other fraction of a coin.

Are there units smaller than a satoshi?

Not in the main Bitcoin protocol — the satoshi is the smallest unit. Some developers occasionally use the term "millisatoshi" for technical purposes (for example, in the Lightning Network), but it isn't a standard everyday unit for users.