Bitcoin history: How it started, changed, and shaped crypto

When you think of Bitcoin, the first decentralized digital currency that launched in 2009 and sparked the entire cryptocurrency movement. Also known as BTC, it wasn't created by a company or bank—it was built by someone using the name Satoshi Nakamoto, and no one knows who that really is. That mystery alone set it apart. Unlike anything before, Bitcoin let people send money directly to each other without needing a middleman like a bank. It used something called blockchain, a public, unchangeable digital ledger that records every transaction across a network of computers to make sure no one could cheat the system. This wasn't just new money—it was a new way to trust technology instead of institutions.

Early on, Bitcoin had almost no value. In 2010, someone paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas. Today, that same amount would be worth hundreds of millions. But the real shift came when people realized Bitcoin’s Bitcoin mining, the process of verifying transactions and adding them to the blockchain by solving complex math problems using powerful computers could be done anywhere, by anyone. It didn’t matter if you lived in New York or Nairobi—you could earn Bitcoin just by running software. That idea pulled in developers, hackers, investors, and even governments. Over time, Bitcoin’s code became the blueprint for nearly every other crypto project. Altcoins tried to improve on it, but none matched its network effect. Even today, when you hear about DeFi, NFTs, or smart contracts, you’re seeing the echoes of Bitcoin’s original design.

Bitcoin’s history isn’t just about price spikes or tech specs. It’s about what happened when people stopped relying on banks during crises, when governments tried to ban it and failed, and when a tiny digital experiment turned into a global movement. The posts below dive into the messy, real stories behind that journey—how Bitcoin’s rules shaped everything from scam coins to regulatory crackdowns, and why its immutability still makes it the most trusted name in crypto. You’ll find posts about abandoned tokens that failed to live up to its promise, exchanges that couldn’t handle its growth, and legal battles that still ripple through the market today. This isn’t a history lesson—it’s a map to how crypto really works, starting from the very first block.

Hidden Message in Bitcoin's Genesis Block: What It Really Means
  • By Silas Truemont
  • Dated 9 Dec 2025

Hidden Message in Bitcoin's Genesis Block: What It Really Means

The Genesis Block of Bitcoin contains a hidden message quoting a 2009 newspaper headline about bank bailouts. It's not just a timestamp - it's a political statement that defines Bitcoin's purpose.