Sunday, January 13, 2019

What is Bitcoin? (video)


"Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money."

In a simple and entertaining video you can acquire some basic notions of what Bitcoin is, it is one of the first and best known and published as an example on many web pages, blogs and social networks.

Setting the Scene: Bitcoin's Original Explainer

The video you are referring to, which begins with the iconic phrase, "Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money," holds a special place in the history of cryptocurrency education.

Its Significance

A First Contact Landmark: Published in the early days of Bitcoin's public life, this video quickly became one of the first, most accessible, and most frequently cited explainer videos. When mainstream audiences first started asking, "What is Bitcoin?" this video was the immediate, concise answer.

Viral Adoption Tool: Its simple, entertaining narrative was perfect for the social media and blogosphere of the early 2010s, leading to its widespread publication as a go-to example on countless web pages, blogs, and social networks. It was a key tool in moving Bitcoin beyond the cryptography mailing lists into the general tech consciousness.

Bridging the Gap: The video successfully broke down the complex, decentralized operation of Bitcoin into basic notions, making it the perfect initial contact point for newcomers. It demystified the concept of a peer-to-peer electronic cash system.

The video serves as an essential introduction to the operation of Bitcoin. If you find yourself interested in delving deeper into the technical and economic implications, we highly recommend reading the comprehensive guide below.

What is Bitcoin?

The video, the one that begins with the iconic line "Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money" is the original explainer video from Bitcoin.org.

It was initially published around March 2011.

This video is historically significant because:

  • It was released at a very early stage of Bitcoin's public life (recall that the Genesis Block was mined in January 2009).
  • It became the main visual resource on Bitcoin.org and was key to attracting mass attention to the project.
  • It served as the "go-to video" that helped millions of people understand, in a simple way, the difference between Bitcoin and fiat money for the very first time.

The fact that it was published so early (2011) demonstrates its fundamental role in the initial stage of introducing Bitcoin to the general public.

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