Sats explained
One bitcoin splits into 100,000,000 smaller units called satoshis, or sats for short. The name honours Satoshi Nakamoto, who created Bitcoin. A sat is the smallest unit the main Bitcoin network records.
The maths
- 1 bitcoin = 100,000,000 sats.
- 0.01 bitcoin = 1,000,000 sats.
- 0.001 bitcoin = 100,000 sats.
So when you buy £10 of bitcoin, you are buying a number of sats. How many depends on the price that day. Our sats per pound tool shows the live figure.
Why people think in sats
Saying "I own 0.0002 bitcoin" sounds tiny. Saying "I own 20,000 sats" is the same amount and is easier to picture. Many people find counting sats makes regular saving feel more natural, a bit like counting pennies rather than pounds.
Fees are counted in sats too, usually as sats per virtual byte, covered in the sending and fees lesson. To see what everyday things cost in sats over time, try the Great British Basket.
Key takeaways
- 1 bitcoin is 100,000,000 sats.
- You can buy any amount. You never need a whole bitcoin.
- Fees and small amounts are usually counted in sats.
Not financial advice. These lessons are general education only. Bitcoin prices can swing hard. Never put in more than you can afford to lose, and do your own research.