The history of Bitcoin: When did Bitcoin start?

On Oct. 31, 2008, an anonymous individual who went by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto published a white paper detailing a design for a “peer-to-peer electronic cash system,” a global financial infrastructure based on cryptographic proof instead of trust. Over a decade later, cryptocurrencies are now being discussed regularly in the context of global economic policy, with some nations even researching and developing their own digital currencies.

The underlying data structure of Bitcoin (BTC), often referred to as the blockchain, has also been researched and implemented in use cases ranging from supply chain management to logistics, cross-enterprise resource planning, energy trading, decentralized autonomous organizations and much more.

The purpose of this guide is to provide the newcomer with a comprehensive understanding of Bitcoin, covering the social and technological context of its inception, key events in its history, how it works, descriptions of its unique properties, and guides on how to participate within this new financial paradigm.

It is hoped that by the end of this guide, the reader will have a balanced perspective of one of the most fascinating technological and financial developments of the modern era.

The pre-history of Bitcoin

While the story often begins with the anonymous Satoshi publishing a white paper on Halloween 2008, there is an often neglected yet vibrant pre-history of Bitcoin that is essential to understanding it as a techno-social phenomenon decades in the making.

This guide to Bitcoin will begin by first charting the social and technical currents that led to its inception. Examining these currents is useful for discussing the past, present and future of Bitcoin.