The world of cryptocurrency has exploded over the last few years, thanks to the rise of Bitcoin, an anonymous digital currency that can be traded from person to person over the internet. While many people see this as little more than a trend with little long-term value, Bitcoin has already come far in its relatively short history. If you’ve been following the news but have never taken the plunge into buying some of your own Bitcoins, here’s everything you need to know about how they came to be and where they’re going next.

Why Bitcoin?
The technology underlying Bitcoin has been heralded as revolutionary, but what many people don’t know is that, while Satoshi Nakamoto (the creator of Bitcoin) deserves credit for creating such an amazing new technology, there is also another person who helped him bring it to fruition. Without Hal Finney—one of Satoshi’s earliest collaborators—there may never have been an alternative to fiat currency.

Who Created it?
Bitcoin was created by an anonymous person (or group of people) using an alias Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009. Nakamoto designed Bitcoin as an alternative to government-issued currencies, particularly because they can be heavily manipulated by central banks.

What makes it so valuable?
Bitcoins have value because they’re a novel, virtual form of currency that can be exchanged for goods and services. People can mine bitcoins by lending computing power to verify other users’ transactions, which are then recorded and processed on Bitcoin’s public ledger, called the blockchain. Bitcoins aren’t printed or minted like traditional money; they’re produced by computers all around the world, using free software programs that solve mathematical problems in exchange for bitcoins.

So, what’s it good for?
Like every currency, Bitcoin is only worth as much as you and your counterpart believe it is. Bitcoins are basically lines of computer code that are digitally signed each time they travel from one owner to the next. Physical paper money can also be considered a type of cryptocurrency. Like any currency, Bitcoin’s value comes only and directly from people willing to accept them as payment.

What if I lose my key?
A unique feature of Bitcoin is that you can create a keypair for your Bitcoins to protect them from theft. But if you lose that keypair, there’s no way to get back into your account. So be sure to keep it safe! Also, make sure you don’t send it to anyone else—especially if they offer to pay you in bitcoins. They’ll simply take your key and steal all your coins!

Is Bitcoin safe?
As Bitcoin becomes more popular, it’s likely that more people will want to use it—and potentially invest in it. But how safe is it? The currency has already survived a number of market crashes, from its all-time high of $1,242 in late 2013 to its latest low of $230 at the start of 2016. However, not everyone is convinced that Bitcoin has staying power.

Is it legal?
This depends on where you live. The simple answer is yes. It’s legal to own, buy and sell bitcoins in most countries around the world—though, of course, there are exceptions. For example, it’s currently not legal to buy or sell bitcoins in Vietnam or China (and there are other limitations). What happens if you try to depends on what country you’re in and whether anyone reports your activity.

So, how can I get some bitcoins?
The most common way to buy bitcoins is through bitcoin exchanges, which act like middlemen between buyers and sellers. The most established of these are Coinbase, Bitstamp, Mt. Gox and KuCoin.