Genesis Block
Also known as: Block 0, First Block, Blockchain Origin
The very first block in a blockchain, serving as the foundation from which all other blocks are linked.
Blockchain Basics
Beginner level
The genesis block is the initial block in a blockchain network, hardcoded into the protocol. It is the starting point of the ledger and has no parent block, with a block height of zero. In Bitcoin, the genesis block was mined by Satoshi Nakamoto on January 3, 2009, and included a message referencing the financial crisis. Genesis blocks often contain symbolic or meaningful data and are crucial for network bootstrapping, establishing trust anchors, and initializing consensus rules. All subsequent blocks trace their lineage back to the genesis block.