What Is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin means different things to different people. For some, it is a future of freely moving currency untied to any central bank. To others, it is a purely digital entity of questionable value and dubious origin. But what is Bitcoin, in the most basic sense?

In most casual conversations, you can get away with knowing that bitcoin is, basically, a digital currency. But of course, it’s much more complicated than that. In fact, it is two much more complicated things.

Bitcoin has been with us since 2009, when a person (or group) under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto introduced a platform (Bitcoin, uppercase) that hosts a digital currency (bitcoin, lowercase).

Bitcoin the platform is built on the concept of “proof of work” data that is expensive and time-intensive to produce but can be easily verified. In Bitcoin’s case, proof of work is created through the process of “mining.” To mine a bitcoin, a computer must complete a complicated algorithm, essentially going through the work of an extensive calculation in exchange for some newly minted currency. That piece of digital currency is worth whatever the market decides through supply and demand.

Transactions are connected to a user’s Bitcoin address, which is stored on its general ledger, called the blockchain. If that address is linked to a real identity, transactions can be traced back to the user; if it isn’t, they can’t. This relative anonymity makes the platform appealing for things like incognito purchases over the internet.

A key component of Bitcoin’s blockchain is the fact that it is an open, distributed ledger. Through the distributed nature of this ledger, the transactions on the blockchain are verified by the consensus of every member, offering security and trust without a third-party overseer.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when thinking about what Bitcoin (or bitcoin) is: there is no single answer. Bitcoin is a platform that hosts a digital ledger on which people can mine, store and trade bitcoins, a digital form of currency earned through a computer algorithm and tied to no central authority.

INDEX: A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO BITCOIN AND BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY


What is Bitcoin?
It’s a decentralized digital currency
Why Use Bitcoin?
It’s fast, cheap to use, and secure
How Can I Buy Bitcoin?
From an exchange or an individual
How to Buy Bitcoin in the UK
Buying bitcoin in the UK
How to Store Your Bitcoin
Use a digital or paper wallet
What Can You Buy with Bitcoin?
Spend your bitcoins
How to Sell Bitcoin
A guide on how to sell your bitcoins
How to Accept Bitcoin Payments for Your Store
Learn about bitcoin POS systems
How do Bitcoin Transactions Work?
Bitcoin addresses and private keys
Is Bitcoin Legal?
The current regulation around bitcoin
Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?
The founder of bitcoin
How Bitcoin Mining Works
By confirming transactions
How to Set Up a Bitcoin Miner
Generate bitcoins yourself
What are Bitcoin Mining Pools?
What are pools how and how to join them?
How Does Cloud Mining Bitcoin Work?
Alternative bitcoin mining solutions
How to Calculate Mining Profitability
Can you make a ROI?
How to Make a Paper Bitcoin Wallet
Creating an unhackable bitcoin wallet
Can Bitcoin Scale?
A look at the debate and the tech
What is SegWit?
A new way of storing transaction data
What is the Lightning Network?
Off-chain transaction channels
What is Bitcoin Cash?
Same blockchain, different characteristics.
Hard Fork vs Soft Fork
Why and how do blockchains split?
What is the Difference Between Litecoin and Bitcoin?
It’s the silver to bitcoin’s gold
How to Buy Litecoin
How to buy the bitcoin alternative litecoin
How to Mine Litecoin and other Altcoins
How to generate your own altcoins
Understanding Bitcoin Price Charts
A primer on bitcoin price charts
Bitcoin E-Commerce Services for Merchants
How to accept bitcoin at your business
What is Blockchain Technology?
A system of distributed data and logic
How Does Blockchain Technology Work?
Cryptographic keys, distributed networks and network servicing protocols
What Can a Blockchain Do?
Identity, recordkeeping, smart contracts and more
What is a Distributed Ledger?
A dynamic, independently maintained database
What is the Difference Between Public and Permissioned Blockchains?
Can anyone read or write to the ledger?
What is the Difference Between a Blockchain and a Database?
It begins with architectural and administrative decisions
What Are the Applications and Use Cases of Blockchains?
Tokenization, auditing, governance, settlement and more
How Could Blockchain Technology Change Finance?
Cross-border payments, new asset classes, regulatory compliance and more
What are Blockchain’s Issues and Limitations?
Complexity, size, costs, speed, security, politics and more
Why Use a Blockchain?
To manage and secure digital relationships as part of a system of record
What is Ethereum?
A blockchain application platform and ‘world computer’
What is Ether?
The ‘fuel’ of the ethereum network
How to Use Ethereum
Wallets, trading and ‘dapps’
Who Created Ethereum?
Vitalik Buterin
How Ethereum Mining Works
‘Proof of Work’ and ‘Proof of Stake’
How to Mine Ethereum
GPUs, mining software and pools
How Ethereum Works
‘Turing-complete’ programming, ‘state’ and the ‘EVM’
What is a Decentralized Application?
A distributed ‘smart contract’ system
What is a DAO?
A ‘decentralized autonomous organization’
How Do Ethereum Smart Contracts Work?
Code, transaction fees and ‘gas’
How Will Ethereum Scale?
‘Sharding’ and ‘off-chain’ transactions
What is an ICO?
Initial Coin Offerings refer to the distribution of digital tokens

 

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