Bitcoin Sovereign Academy

Understanding Bitcoin Units

Bitcoin works just like dollars and cents. Just as 1 dollar = 100 cents, in Bitcoin: 1 BTC = 100,000,000 satoshis.

A satoshi (sat) is the smallest unit of Bitcoin, named after Bitcoin's creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Think of sats as the "pennies" of Bitcoin.

Since Bitcoin can be worth a lot in dollars, most people don't need to buy a whole Bitcoin. You can buy any fraction you want—even just a few thousand satoshis to start. Try the converter below to see how different amounts compare!

Convert Bitcoin Units

Amount

Bitcoin (BTC)

1.00000000

1 BTC = 100M sats

Satoshis

100,000,000

Smallest unit

mBTC (milli-Bitcoin)

1,000

1 mBTC = 100K sats

Bits (μBTC)

1,000,000

1 bit = 100 sats

USD 🇺🇸

$100,000

EUR 🇪🇺

€92,000

GBP 🇬🇧

£78,000

JPY 🇯🇵

¥15,000,000

Quick Conversions - Bitcoin Units

Quick Conversions - Fiat Currencies

Unit Reference Guide

▼

Unit Name	Symbol	Satoshis	BTC
Bitcoin	BTC / ₿	100,000,000	1
Milli-Bitcoin	mBTC	100,000	0.001
Micro-Bitcoin (Bit)	μBTC / bit	100	0.000001
Satoshi	sat	1	0.00000001

Key Takeaways

▼

₿ You don't need to buy a whole Bitcoin. Bitcoin is divisible into 100 million pieces. You can start with any amount.
₿ Satoshis (sats) are like cents. Just as $1 = 100 cents, 1 BTC = 100,000,000 sats. They're named after Bitcoin's creator.
₿ Why different units? As Bitcoin's price rises, smaller units make everyday purchases easier. Would you rather pay "0.00001 BTC" or "1,000 sats" for coffee?
₿ Other units exist too: mBTC (1 thousand sats) and bits (100 sats) are helpful middle denominations, though less common.
₿ Always double-check amounts! Bitcoin transactions can't be reversed. Make sure you're sending the right amount in the right unit.
₿ Thinking in sats helps. Many Bitcoiners prefer sats because they feel more natural for small purchases, just like using cents instead of fractions of a dollar.