Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the pioneer of blockchains and cryptocurrencies, introduced in a white paper released in 2008 by an apparently pseudonymous person or group of people known as Satoshi Nakamoto. The document described a peer-to-peer method of transferring money without the use of financial institutions. The cryptocurrency known as bitcoin or BTC debuted in 2009. Transactions are recorded on a public ledger (a blockchain) by entities known as miners who engage in process called proof-of-work. Miners are rewarded for doing that by getting newly minted bitcoin. Some proponents view BTC as an alternative to fiat currencies and a hedge against inflation. Bitcoin has inspired the creation of numerous other cryptocurrencies and blockchain projects.

DISCLOSURE: This text was written with the assistance of AI, then reviewed by a person

Opinion

Watch Out for the Pols Bearing Crypto

Rio de Janeiro is the latest city to invest in bitcoin. The public needs transparency.

By Daniel KuhnJan 27, 2022

Christ the Redeemer statue, a prominent symbol of Rio de Janeiro. (Fernando Santos/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)

Videos

Amazon Marketplace Owners Can Now Be Bought Out in Crypto

Amazon Marketplace owners who sell their business to Elevate Brands will now have the option of being paid in crypto in partnership with Coinbase Prime. “The Hash” team discusses what this means for Amazon following the industry’s first institutional mergers and acquisitions (M&A) rollup offering bitcoin as a payout option.

Jan 27, 2022