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Is there a technical reason why Satoshi implemented Bitcoin with just 8 decimal places? The max number of 64-bit signed integers is usually 9,223,372,036,854,775,807 ; so with the 21 million cap an overflow can't happen even for 11 decimal places if I'm correct? So why not go with a more handy amount of decimal places like 9 or the maximum possible for 64-bit 11?

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I don't know of any comments Satoshi left himself about the choice of 8 decimal places, but this comment on bitcointalk.org alleges that it was the result of a computation involving the M1 world fiat currency supply. Supposedly if all of that were to be replaced with BTC, the value of 1 unit (10-8 BTC) would be below a US penny.

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  • Maybe true, but not a technical reason. So I assume there is no technical reason?
    – Arnor
    Dec 20, 2021 at 19:23

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