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
Crypto markets reacted tepidly to solid economic data, a potential sign that good-economic-news-equals-bad-news for digital asset prices narrative is beginning to shift. "The Hash" panel discusses the changing narrative around bitcoin’s connection to economic growth and the implications for global finance.
