by Carl Kruse
Twelve years ago some guy (or group of people, nobody knows) called Satoshi Nakamoto, published an 8-page white paper called “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System,” giving birth to Bitcoin.
In eight pages, Nakamoto described the use of a blockchain — a widely distributed, immutable, cryptographically protected ledger — to enable the sending of money anywhere, anytime between two people without needing a trusted third party, like a bank or a Western Union. The technology also enabled storing money in a manner that cannot be accessed by anyone other than the person with the proper key, and limited the total amount of Bitcoin that can ever exist to 21 million bitcoins. This is unlike regular money whose supply dramatically increases over time, decreasing its value.
One of the main issues solved by Nakamoto with Bitcoin was the so-called “double-spend” problem, or how to keep a digital asset, which is incredibly easy to copy (think of an mp3 or a photo or video), from being copied or spent twice.
In its 12 young years, Bitcoin bootsrapped itself into the most powerful computer network in history, giving rise to an asset that is deflationary, portable, unforgeable, programmable, fungible, divisible, antifragile, scarce and free from Central Banks or governments. In these coming decades it will change how everyone stores and transfers wealth and should go some way in fostering individual freedom, among other things.
Happy Birthday Bitcoin.
Carl Kruse
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Carl Kruse Blog Main Page: See Here.
Contact: carl AT carlkruse DOT com
Other posts on Bitcoin here and over here.
Two good sources on Bitcoin developments: Coindesk and Lark Davis.
Good heavens! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BITCOIN!
Go baby go!
Kruse! Hey! Bitcoin is busting out of the zoo! ArOOoOoOooOoooOOo. A sight lovely to see.
I keep watching bitcoin year by year growing in size and value. Who would have believed it?
Every year the bitcoin story becomes bigger and more believable. Even in the last year it has changed significantly. Who knows what is in store this next decade? As for me, right now it feels like having a front row seat to history in the making.
Carl Kruse
The last anyone heard of Satoshi was a message sent on April 23, 2011 that said, “I’ve moved on to other things. It’s in good hands with Gavin and everyone.” His wallet containing 1 million bitcoins remains untouched even as bitcoin soars to new heights each passing year. Happy Birthday Bitcoin.
Insanity.
Carl Kruse