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



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Bitcoin Price Rises Above $37K. What's Next?

The price of bitcoin has risen above $37,000 amid bullish news from El Salvador adopting bitcoin as legal tender and bearish news from China cracking down on more mining operations. Lindsay Joo of BitBull Capital shares her analysis of the possible factors impacting BTC's price and where we go from here. Plus, altcoins of interest to Joo and the inflation impact on crypto markets.

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Will a Digital Dollar Solve the Crypto Ransomware Problem?

Responding to recent high-profile ransomware attacks on major food and oil companies, U.S. lawmakers are amping up their criticism of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Dave Jevans of CipherTrace, which tracks crypto crime and anti-money laundering trends, discusses the potential solutions to cyberattacks and whether having a digital dollar is one of them.

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Bitcoin Hot in Singapore; China Widens Crypto Mining Bans

Bitcoin as legal tender a hot topic in Singapore. China bans crypto mining in Changji city and Qinghai province, and over 1,000 arrested in China on crypto-related money laundering charges. More on that story and other news shaping the cryptocurrency and blockchain world in this episode of “The Daily Forkast.”

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Elizabeth Warren, US Lawmakers Put Bitcoin on Trial in Senate CBDC Hearing

CoinDesk’s Nikhilesh De on the main takeaways from Wednesday’s Senate Banking Committee hearing where Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and other lawmakers grilled four witnesses about bitcoin and their views on whether to develop a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) or “digital dollar.”

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Americans Earned Over $4B in Bitcoin in 2020, More Than Triple the Investors in Other Countries

A new study that shows which countries have realized the most bitcoin gains reveals American investors earned over $4 billion in bitcoin in 2020, more than triple that in any other country. CoinDesk’s Director of Data and Indexes Galen Moore digs into the data.

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Bitcoin Hashrate Declining Amid China Crackdown

The bitcoin hashrate tumbles amid more crypto mining operations in China shutting down. The country’s Qinghai province is the latest to announce a new crypto ban, following Xinjiang and inner Mongolia. Darin Feinstein of Blockcap, one of North America’s largest miners, weighs in.

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Bitcoin Hashrate Plunging Amid China Crackdown

The bitcoin hashrate, which stands for the global computing power used to process transactions on the Bitcoin proof-of-work blockchain, is plunging to its lowest level since last November as several provinces in China are shutting down crypto miners. Christine Lee breaks down the data in today’s Chart of the Day.

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El Salvador Officially Becomes First Country to Adopt Bitcoin as Legal Tender

Bitcoin is now officially a currency in El Salvador. “The Hash” team discusses what the move means for the crypto community and the world.

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Bitcoin vs. Ethereum: Which Will Dominate?

Bankless Co-founder David Hoffman and Chainstone Labs CEO Bruce Fenton compare bitcoin and ethereum’s pros and cons and which will dominate in the long term. Hoffman and Fenton discuss the unique technical features of bitcoin and ethereum.

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Proof-of-Work vs. Proof-of-Stake: What’s the Difference?

Breaking down the differences between bitcoin’s proof-of-work system and ethereum’s proof-of-stake system as part of a larger conversation about which cryptocurrency will dominate the blockchain space.

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