You miss some crucial part, so all of your conclusions are wrong. To hold bitcoins, you must either a. mine them and support network operations or b. buy them and support businesses and tech developments with your money.  So no, it is not free, you support the project, its network, and its development *directly*. You put your trust and your money into it, risking it would all go to zero. If it succeeds, you are rewarded. But nothing is free. Risk is not free.