Bitcoin can be split into smaller units to make it easier to spend and understand. If you’ve seen terms like “sats,” “bits,” or “mBTC,” here’s what they mean and how they relate to each other.
1 BTC = 100,000,000 sats
Sats are the smallest unit of Bitcoin (like pennies)
Bits = 100 sats
mBTC = 100,000 sats
Most wallets now show balances in sats or mBTC
You can’t spend less than 1 sat
Burner defaults to sats.
Bitcoin Unit Breakdown
Unit | Name | Value in BTC | Equivalent Sats |
BTC | Bitcoin | 1 BTC | 100,000,000 sats |
mBTC | Millibitcoin | 0.001 BTC | 100,000 sats |
μBTC / bits | Microbitcoin / bits | 0.000001 BTC | 100 sats |
sat | Satoshi | 0.00000001 BTC | 1 sat |
Why are there so many?
Bitcoin is highly divisible. Since a single BTC can be worth thousands of dollars, it’s helpful to work with smaller chunks for everyday use. Instead of sending 0.00002345 BTC, you can just say 2,345 sats.
Which one should I use?
Use BTC when you’re talking about full coins or investment amounts. Use sats when you’re sending, tipping, or paying in small amounts. mBTC and bits are still used occasionally, but sats are becoming the default.