Most people have heard of Bitcoin so far, probably because it reached the mainstream media two years ago. Since then, Bitcoin has been a very frequently discussed topic around the world, especially in online conversations where those who are willing to learn more about cryptocurrencies and the crypto scene appear.
Who is the founder?
Bitcoin began its journey more than a decade ago, in October 2008, when its creator Satoshi Nakamoto published the manifesto “Bitcoin: A Peer-To-Peer Electronic Cash System”. In that work, Nakamoto, whose identity remains a mystery to this day, sets out plans for how Bitcoin’s blockchain network(a chain of blocks as digital information) will function, and that moment is practically the very beginning of a climb all the way to the top.
First Bitcoin payment
In January of the following year, Nakamoto translates what he promised in the manifesto. He did this by excavating/mining the first block(which means that he mathematically processed the data from the first block in a chain array of blocks, ie blockchain), which became known as the genesis block. Only a year later, in May 2009, Bitcoin network user Laslo Hanjec paid 10,000 BTC(Bitcoin, digital coins) for two drinks, which went down in history as the first purchase made with a script currency.
The emergence of other cryptocurrencies
In the period between 2011 and 2013, the Bitcoin network is growing more and more, and at one point its value is equal to the US dollar. This period also represents the time when the first cryptocurrency rivals, Litecoin and Ripple, appeared, which were weak competitors.
Somewhere around 10 digital currencies can soon be found on the scene, and that number has multiplied hundreds of times since then. However, Bitcoin still remains the dominant cryptocurrency, which is reflected in the fact that one lesser-known “wallet” for cryptocurrencies is used by as many as two million people in at least 40 countries around the world.
The further path of Bitcoin
In 2014, the value of Bitcoin dropped dramatically – by over 50%. This was one of the biggest blows to the young cryptocurrency market and crypto scene and it took about two years for the price to recover. The decline in value was largely due to the enormous theft-hacking of cryptocurrency exchange offices, and such attacks still pose a great threat to many of them.
Bitcoin also has competition
Since 2016, work began on the network of Ethereum, the main rival of Bitcoin, which is responsible for the invention of the so-called “smart contracts“. Also, we experienced 2017 when the spotlights of big media houses lit up the crypto scene thanks to the rise in the value of Bitcoin, where at one point it was sold for about $20,000, and along the way probably over 6000, 7000 digital currencies were created(no one knows the exact number, many of them are inactive projects).
Institutions towards Bitcoin
Bitcoin and the blockchain technology behind it have also managed to leave an impression on other areas, where many industries and business models now recognize the benefits that this technology brings.
Bitcoin and blockchain gambling are developing rapidly, becoming more popular and managing to provide advantages that other payment methods, systems and platforms of different characters, value transfers and information simply cannot.
Also, there has been some progress in the banking and finance sector, as P2P(peer to peer) networks for loans have emerged, as well as real solutions to some of the banking problems that are also attracting more and more interest. Bitcoin started its adventure a little over a decade ago, but just have started.
