Bitcoin is a digital currency that has been decentralized with no central bank or a single administrator. The currency which was invented in 2008, started working in 2009 after the implementation was released as open-source software. The currency can easily be sent from one user to the other on a peer-to-peer bitcoin network with no intermediaries.
Transactions involving bitcoins are verified through cryptography by network nodes. They are then recorded in a blockchain, which is a public distributed ledger. Digital currency is created mainly as a reward for mining. After acquiring them, they can be exchanged for products and services, as well as other currencies.
Well, how well do you know about Bitcoin? If not much, we have compiled all you need to know about Bitcoin’s net worth in 2024, wiki and complete details. Well, if you’re all set, here is what we know about Bitcoin to date.
Inception
On 18 August 2008, a domain name “bitcoin. Org” was registered by Satoshi Nakamoto. A few months later, a link was posted to the cryptography mailing list by Satoshi under the title of Bitcoin; A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System. In January 2009, Nakamoto whose identity is still not known to date implemented the bitcoin software as an open-source code before releasing it.
The very first activity of the currency took place on 3 January 2009, after Nakamoto mined the first block of the chain, the genesis block. On the other hand, Cypherpunk Hall Finney was the first receiver of the bitcoin transaction. After downloading the bitcoin software on its release, Nakamoto awarded them ten bitcoins.
The first commercial transaction using this digital currency occurred in 2010, and it was carried out by Laszlo Hanyecz, who is a programmer. Other people who supported the currency at that early stage were Nick Szabo, the creator of bit gold, and Wei Dai, who is the creator of b-money.
In 2010, Nakamoto disappeared after handing over the network control systems to Gavin Andresen. Later on, Gavin became the lead developer at Bitcoin Foundation. As the lead developer, he sought to decentralize bitcoin in a move that attracted a lot of controversy over the development of digital currency in the future.
Evolution
After bitcoin was given the proof-of-concept in 2010, some of its first customers were black markets. One of such markets was a company by the name of Silk Road. The company was recorded to have accepted a total of 9.9 million bitcoins as payment. The bitcoins were said to be worth $214 million, and this transaction was done in only 30 days.
Initially, the price per bitcoin started at $0.30, going up to $5.27 after a few months. By June 2011, the currency was selling at $31.50 but it later dropped to $11.00 in a month. The Bitcoin Foundation released Bitcoin-Qt version 0.5.0, which was a reference implementation version.
In 2014, the price per bitcoin hit $770 and this showed that people had embraced the digital currency fearlessly. Earlier in 2013, the bitcoin software was hit by a bug, prompting the blockchain to split into two. There were some complications in December 2013 after the People’s Bank of China prohibited all financial institutions from using bitcoin. This led to a massive drop in the value of bitcoin.
Since its inception, bitcoin reached its all-time highest price on 17 December 2017, when it was selling at $19,783. It, however, suffered another blow after China banned trading in bitcoin in February 2018. Later that year, an issue with the software of developers of Bitcoin Unlimited, Bitcoin Core, and Bitcoin ABC, and further negatively affected the currency.
The prices were also affected by thefts and hacks from different exchanges in cryptocurrency. The currency got a boost in September 2019 after the Intercontinental Exchange began trading in bitcoin. Other positive boosts have come from companies like MicroStrategy, PayPal, and Square, Inc. investing in bitcoin.
Awards & Achievements
Bitcoin has been operational as a digital currency for a decade now and although it has been through many ups and downs, there have been some achievements as well. In 2013, they emerged as the winners of the TechCrunch Best Technology Achievement award. Another major achievement for bitcoin is acquiring more unique users as well as investors. This has increased its predictability as well as security over the years.
Net Worth & Earnings of Bitcoin in 2024
Currently, bitcoin is the largest and also the best-known digital currency in the world economy. As of 2024, It is estimated to be valued at $800 billion all over the world. With it being the largest, it means that in the future the value will increase to a more impressive figure.
The creation of bitcoin was a clear indication that everything has been digitalized. The creator had a big vision for the future, where all people would be united by a digital currency. Although it has not gotten there yet, we are still on the right track and hopefully, in the future, this will be achieved. Bitcoin has faced several challenges over the years but to date, it has been able to withstand all the storms.
JG