user129216: 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?

user208: 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.

129216: <p>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?</p>
 208: <p>I don't know of any comments Satoshi left himself about the choice of 8 decimal places, but <a href="https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=819656.msg9170781#msg9170781" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this comment</a> 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<sup>-8</sup> BTC) would be below a US penny.</p>
