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What Is Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin is a digital form of cash. But unlike the fiat currencies you’re used to, there is no central bank controlling it.

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a digital form of cash. But unlike the fiat currencies you’re used to, there is no central bank controlling it. Instead, the financial system in Bitcoin is run by thousands of computers distributed around the world. Anyone can participate in the ecosystem by downloading open-source software.

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, announced in 2008 (and launched in 2009). It provides users with the ability to send and receive digital money (bitcoins, with a lower-case b, or BTC). What makes it so attractive is that it can’t be censored, funds can’t be spent more than once, and transactions can be made at any time, from anywhere.

What is Bitcoin used for?

People use Bitcoin for a number of reasons. Many appreciate it for its permissionless nature – anyone with an Internet connection can send and receive it. It’s a bit like cash in that no one can stop you from using it, but its digital presence means that it can be transferred globally.

Что делает биткоин ценным?

Bitcoin is decentralized, censorship-resistant, secure, and borderless.

This quality has made it appealing for use cases such as international remittance and payments where individuals don’t want to reveal their identities (as they would with a debit or credit card).

Many don’t spend their bitcoins, instead choosing to hold them for the long-term (also known as hodling). Bitcoin has been nicknamed digital gold, due to a finite supply of coins available. Some investors view Bitcoin as a store of value. Because it’s scarce and difficult to produce, it has been likened to precious metals like gold or silver.

Holders believe that these traits – combined with global availability and high liquidity – make it an ideal medium for storing wealth in for long periods. They believe that Bitcoin’s value will continue to appreciate over time.

How does Bitcoin work?

When Alice makes a transaction to Bob, she’s not sending funds in the way you’d expect. It’s not like the digital equivalent of handing him a dollar bill. It’s more like her writing on a sheet of paper (that everyone can see) that she’s giving one dollar to Bob. When Bob goes to send those same funds to Carol, she can see that Bob has them by looking at the sheet.

transaction examples

The sheet is a particular kind of database called a blockchain. Network participants all have an identical copy of this stored on their devices. The participants connect with each other to synchronize new information.

When a user makes a payment, they broadcast it directly to the peer-to-peer network – there isn’t a centralized bank or institution to process transfers. In order to add new information, the Bitcoin blockchain uses a special mechanism called mining. It is through this process that new blocks of transactions are recorded in the blockchain.

What is the blockchain?

The blockchain is a ledger that is append-only: that is to say, data can only be added to it. Once information is added, it is extremely difficult to modify or delete it. The blockchain enforces this by including a pointer to the previous block in every subsequent block.

how blockchain uses the hash from the previous block to produce the following block

The pointer is actually a hash of the previous block. Hashing involves passing data through a one-way function to produce a unique “fingerprint” of the input. If the input is modified even slightly, the fingerprint will look completely different. Since we chain the blocks along, there is no way for someone to edit an old entry without invalidating the blocks that follow. Such a structure is one of the components making the blockchain secure.

For more information on blockchains, see What is Blockchain Technology? The Ultimate Guide.

Bitcoin is perfectly legal in most countries. There are a handful of exceptions, though – be sure to read up on the laws of your jurisdiction before investing in cryptocurrency.

In countries where it’s legal, government entities take varying approaches to it where taxation and compliance are concerned. The regulatory landscape is still highly underdeveloped overall and will likely change considerably in the coming years.

A History of Bitcoin

Who created Bitcoin?

Nobody knows! Bitcoin’s creator used the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, but we don’t know anything about their identity. Satoshi could be one person or a group of developers anywhere in the world. The name is of Japanese origin, but Satoshi’s mastery of English has led many to believe that he/she/they originate from an English-speaking country.

Satoshi published the Bitcoin white paper as well as the software. However, the mysterious creator disappeared in 2010.

Did Satoshi invent blockchain technology?

Bitcoin actually combines a number of existing technologies that had been around for some time. This concept of a chain of blocks wasn’t born with Bitcoin. The use of unalterable data structures like this can be traced back to the early 90s when Stuart Haber and W. Scott Stornetta proposed a system for timestamping documents. Much like the blockchains of today, it relied on cryptographic techniques to secure data and to prevent it from being tampered with.

Interestingly, at no point does Satoshi’s white paper make use of the term “blockchain.”

See also: History of Blockchain.

Digital cash before Bitcoin

Bitcoin wasn’t the first attempt at digital cash, but it is certainly the most successful. Previous schemes paved the way for Satoshi’s invention:

DigiCash

DigiCash was a company founded by cryptographer and computer scientist David Chaum in the late 1980s. It was introduced as a privacy-oriented solution for online transactions, based on a paper authored by Chaum.

The DigiCash model was a centralized system, but it was nonetheless an interesting experiment. The company later went bankrupt, which Chaum believes was due to its introduction before e-commerce had truly taken off.

B-money

B-money was initially described in a proposal by computer engineer Wei Dai, published in the 1990s. It was cited in the Bitcoin white paper, and it’s not hard to see why.

B-money proposed a Proof of Work system (used in Bitcoin mining) and the use of a distributed database where users sign transactions. A second version of b-money also described an idea similar to staking, which is used in other cryptocurrencies today.

Ultimately, b-money never took off, as it didn’t make it past the draft stage. That said, Bitcoin clearly takes inspiration from the concepts presented by Dai.

Bit Gold

Such is the resemblance between Bit Gold and Bitcoin that some believe that its creator, computer scientist Nick Szabo, is Satoshi Nakamoto. At its core, Bit Gold consists of a ledger that records strings of data originating from a Proof of Work operation.

Like b-money, it was never further developed. Bit Gold’s similarities to Bitcoin have, however, cemented its place as the “precursor to Bitcoin.”

Where Do Bitcoins Come From?

How are new bitcoins created?

Bitcoin has a finite supply, but not all units are in circulation yet. The only way to create new coins is through a process called mining – the special mechanism for adding data to the blockchain.

How many bitcoins are there?

The protocol fixes Bitcoin’s max supply at twenty-one million coins. As of 2020, just under 90% of these have been generated, but it will take over one-hundred years to produce the remaining ones. This is due to periodic events known as halvings, which gradually reduce the mining reward.

How does Bitcoin mining work?

By mining, participants add blocks to the blockchain. To do so, they must dedicate computing power to solving a cryptographic puzzle. As an incentive, there is a reward available to whoever proposes a valid block. It’s expensive to generate a block, but cheap to check if it’s valid. If someone tries to cheat with an invalid block, the network immediately rejects it, and the miner will be unable to recoup the mining costs.

The reward – often labeled the block reward – is made up of two components: fees attached to the transactions and the block subsidy. The block subsidy is the only source of “fresh” bitcoins. With every block mined, it adds a set amount of coins to the total supply.

How long does it take to mine a block?

The protocol adjusts the difficulty of mining so that it takes approximately ten minutes to find a new block. Blocks aren’t always found exactly ten minutes after the previous one – the time taken merely fluctuates around this target.

Getting Started with Bitcoin

How can I buy Bitcoin?

How to buy Bitcoin with a credit/debit card

Binance allows you to seamlessly buy Bitcoin in your browser. To do so:

  • Go to the: Buy and Sell Cryptocurrency portal.
  • Select the cryptocurrency you want to buy, and the currency you wish to pay with.
  • Log in to Binance, or register if you don’t already have an account.
  • Select your payment method.
  • If prompted, insert your card details and complete identity verification.
  • That’s it! Your Bitcoin will be credited to your Binance account.
How to buy Bitcoin on peer-to-peer markets

You can also buy and sell Bitcoin on peer-to-peer markets. This allows you to purchase coins from other users directly from the Binance mobile app. To do so:

  • Launch the app and log in or register.
  • Select One click buy sell, followed by the Buy tab in the top left corner of the interface.
  • You’ll be prompted with a number of different offers – tap Buy on the one you wish to go with.
  • You can pay with other cryptocurrencies (the By Crypto tab) or fiat currency (the By Fiat tab).
  • Below, you’ll be asked for your payment method. Pick whichever one suits you.
  • Select Buy BTC.
  • You now have to make the payment. When you’re done, tap Mark as paid, and confirm.
  • The transaction is completed when the seller sends your coins.

What can I buy with Bitcoin?

There are a lot of things you can buy with Bitcoin. At this stage, it can be difficult (though not impossible) to locate merchants that accept Bitcoin in physical stores. However, you’ll still be able to find websites that accept it or allow you to purchase gift cards with it for other services.

Just to name a few, some of the things you can buy with Bitcoin are:

  • Airplane tickets
  • Hotel rooms
  • Real estate
  • Food & drink
  • Clothing
  • Gift cards
  • Online subscriptions

Where can I spend Bitcoin?

You can spend your Bitcoin at a growing number of places! Let’s go through a few of them.

TravelbyBit

Save on hefty credit card fees while traveling the world! You can book flights and hotels with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies through TravelbyBit. Register and book with crypto with a 10% discount on your purchase.

Spendabit

Spendabit is a search engine for products that you can buy with Bitcoin. Just search for what you’d like to buy and get a list of merchants who you can buy it from with Bitcoin.

Coinmap

Search for all the cryptocurrency merchants and ATMs around your area. If you’re eager to spend your Bitcoin and just looking for a place to spend it, this might be an ideal choice for you.

Bitrefill

You can buy gift cards for hundreds of services and top up your phone with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies here. It’s quite easy to do, and you can also use the Lightning Network to pay.

Heatmap of retailers Heatmap of retailers which accept cryptocurrency as payment. Source: https://coinmap.org/

What if I lose my bitcoins?

Because there’s no bank involved, you’re responsible for keeping your coins secure. Some prefer to store them on exchanges, while others take custody with a variety of wallets. If you use a wallet, it’s crucial that you write down your seed phrase so that you can restore it.

Can I revert Bitcoin transactions?

Once data is added to the blockchain, it’s not easy to remove it (in practice, it’s virtually impossible). This means that when you make a transaction, it can’t be undone. You should always double- and triple-check that you’re sending your funds to the right address.

For an example of how you could theoretically reverse a transaction, see What is a 51% Attack?

Can I make money with Bitcoin?

You can make money with Bitcoin, but you can also lose money with it. Typically, long-term investors buy and hold Bitcoin believing it will rise in price in the future. Others choose to actively trade Bitcoin against other cryptocurrencies to make short- to mid-term profits. Both of these strategies are risky, but they’re often more rewarding than low-risk approaches.

Some investors adopt hybridized strategies. They hold bitcoins as a long-term investment while simultaneously trading some (in a separate portfolio) in the short-term. There isn’t a correct or incorrect way to allocate assets in your portfolio – each investor will have a different risk appetite and different goals.

Lending is an increasingly popular form of passive income. By lending your coins to someone else, you can generate interest that they will pay out at a later date. Platforms like Binance Lending allow you to do this with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

How can I store my bitcoin?

There are many options to store coins, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Storing your bitcoin on Binance

A custodial solution refers to storage where the user doesn’t actually hold the coins themselves but trusts a third party to do so. To make transactions, they would log in to the third party’s platform. Exchanges like Binance often use this model as it’s vastly more efficient for trades.

Storing your coins on Binance allows you to easily access them for the purposes of trading or lending.

Storing your coins in a bitcoin wallet

Non-custodial solutions are the opposite – they put the user in control of their funds. To store funds with such a solution, you use something called a wallet. A wallet doesn’t hold your coins directly – rather, it holds cryptographic keys that unlock them on the blockchain. You have two main options on this front:

Hot wallets

A hot wallet is software that connects in some way to the Internet. Generally, it will take the form of a mobile or desktop application that allows you to easily send and receive coins. An easy to use example of a mobile wallet with a lot of supported coins is Trust Wallet. Because they’re online, hot wallets are generally more convenient for payments, but they’re also more vulnerable to attack.

Cold wallets

Cryptocurrency wallets that are not exposed to the Internet are known as cold wallets. They’re less prone to attack because there is no online attack vector, but they consequently tend to provide a clunkier user experience. Examples include hardware wallets or paper wallets.

For a more in-depth breakdown of wallet types, be sure to check out Crypto Wallet Types Explained.

The Bitcoin Halving

What is the Bitcoin halving?

A Bitcoin halving (also called a Bitcoin halvening) is simply an event that reduces the block reward. Once a halving occurs, the reward given to miners for validating new blocks is divided by two (they only receive half of what they used to). However, there is no impact on transaction fees.

How does the Bitcoin halving work?

When Bitcoin launched, miners would be awarded 50 BTC for each valid block they found.

The first halving took place on November 28th, 2012. At that point, the protocol reduced the block subsidy from 50 BTC to 25 BTC. The second halving occurred on July 9th, 2016 (25 BTC to 12.5 BTC). The last one took take place on May 11th, 2020, bringing the block subsidy down to 6.25 BTC.

You might notice a certain pattern here. Give or take a handful of months, a new halving seems to occur every four years. That’s by design, but the protocol does not set specific dates on which a halving takes place. Instead, it goes by block height – every 210,000 blocks, a halving occurs. So, we can expect it to take about 2,100,000 minutes for the subsidy to halve (remember, a block takes ~10 minutes to mine).

bitcoin emission schedule

In the above chart, we can see the decrease in the block subsidy over time and its relationship with the total supply. At first, it may seem that the rewards have dropped to zero and that the max supply is already in circulation. But this is not the case. The curves trend incredibly close, but we expect the subsidy to reach zero around the year 2140.

Why does the Bitcoin halving happen?

It’s one of Bitcoin’s main selling points, but Satoshi Nakamoto never fully explained his reasoning for capping the supply at twenty-one million units. Some speculate that it’s merely a product of starting with a block subsidy of 50 BTC, which is halved every 210,000 blocks.

Having a finite supply means that the currency is not prone to debasement in the long run. It stands in stark contrast to fiat money, which loses purchasing power over time as new units enter into circulation.

It makes sense that there are limits on how fast participants can mine coins. After all, 50% were generated by block 210,000 (i.e., by 2012). If the subsidy remained the same, all units would have been mined by 2016.

With the halving mechanism, there is an incentive to mine for 100+ years. This gives the system more than enough time to attract users so that a fee market can develop.

What impact does the Bitcoin halving have?

Those that are most impacted by halvings are miners. It makes sense, as the block subsidy makes up a significant part of their revenue. When it is halved, they only receive half of what they once did. The reward also consists of transaction fees, but to date, these have only made up a fraction of the block reward.

Halvings could, therefore, make it unprofitable for some participants to continue mining. What this means for the wider industry is unknown. A reduction in block rewards might lead to further centralization in mining pools, or it could simply promote more efficient mining practices.

If Bitcoin continues to rely on a Proof of Work algorithm, fees would need to rise to keep mining profitable. This scenario is entirely possible, as blocks can only hold so many transactions. If there are a lot of pending transactions, those with higher fees will be included first.

Historically, a sharp rise in Bitcoin price has followed a halving. Of course, there isn’t much data available as we’ve only seen two so far. Many attribute the price movement to an appreciation of Bitcoin’s scarcity by the market, a realization triggered by the halving. Proponents of this theory believe that value will once again skyrocket following the event in May 2020.

Others disagree with this logic, arguing that the market has already factored the halving in (see Efficient Market Hypothesis). It’s not like the event comes as a surprise – participants have known for over a decade that the reward would be reduced in May 2020. Another point often made is that the industry was extremely underdeveloped during the first two halvings. Nowadays, it has a higher profile, offers sophisticated trading tools, and is more accommodating to a broader investor pool.

When is the next Bitcoin halving?

The next halving is expected to take place in 2024, when the reward will drop to 3.125 BTC. Keep an eye on the countdown with Binance Academy's Bitcoin Halving Countdown.

Common Bitcoin Misconceptions

Is Bitcoin anonymous?

Not really. Bitcoin might seem anonymous initially, but this isn’t correct. The Bitcoin blockchain is public and anyone can see the transactions. Your identity isn’t tied to your wallet addresses on the blockchain, but an observer with the right resources could potentially link the two together. It’s more accurate to describe Bitcoin as pseudonymous. Bitcoin addresses are viewable to everybody, but the names of their owners are not.

That said, the system is relatively private, and there are methods to make it even harder for observers to figure out what you’re doing with your bitcoins. Freely available technologies can create plausible deniability to “break the link” between addresses. What’s more, future upgrades could massively boost privacy – see An Introduction to Confidential Transactions for an example.

Is Bitcoin a scam?

No. Just like fiat money, Bitcoin may also be used for illegal activities. But, this doesn’t make Bitcoin a scam in and of itself.

Bitcoin is a digital currency that isn’t controlled by anyone. Detractors have branded it a pyramid scheme, but it doesn’t fit the definition. As digital money, it functions just as well at $20 per coin as it does at $20,000 per coin. It’s over a decade old, and the technology has proven to be very secure and reliable.

Unfortunately, Bitcoin is used in many scams that you should be aware of. These might include phishing and other social engineering schemes, such as fake giveaways and airdrops. As a general rule: if something sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. Never give your private keys or seed phrase to anyone, and be cautious of schemes that offer to multiply your money with little risk on your behalf. If you send your coins to a scammer or to a fake giveaway, they will be lost forever.

Is Bitcoin a bubble?

Throughout the many parabolic rises in Bitcoin price, it was common to see people referring to it as a speculative bubble. Many economists have compared Bitcoin to periods like the Tulip Mania or the dot-com boom.

Due to Bitcoin’s unique nature as a decentralized digital commodity, its price is entirely dictated by speculation in the free market. So, while there are many factors driving the Bitcoin price, they ultimately affect market supply and demand. And since Bitcoin is scarce and follows a strict issuance schedule, it’s thought that long-term demand will exceed supply.

The cryptocurrency markets are also relatively small when compared to traditional markets. This means that Bitcoin and other crypto assets tend to be more volatile, and it’s quite common to see short-term market imbalances between supply and demand.

In other words, Bitcoin can be a volatile asset at times. But volatility is part of the financial markets, especially ones with relatively lower volume and liquidity.

Does Bitcoin use encryption?

No. This is a common misconception, but Bitcoin’s blockchain doesn’t use encryption. Every peer on the network needs to be able to read transactions to ensure that they’re valid. Instead, it uses digital signatures and hash functions. While some digital signature algorithms do use encryption, that’s not the case for Bitcoin.

It’s worth noting, though, that many applications and crypto wallets make use of encryption to protect users’ wallets with passwords. Still, these encryption methods have nothing to do with the blockchain – they’re just incorporated into other technologies that tap into it.

Bitcoin Scalability

What is scalability?

Scalability is a measure of a system's ability to grow to accommodate increasing demand. If you host a website that's overrun with requests, you might scale it by adding more servers. If you want to run more intensive applications on your computer, you could upgrade its components.

In the context of cryptocurrencies, we use the term to describe the ease of upgrading a blockchain so it can process a higher number of transactions.

Why does Bitcoin need to scale?

To function in day-to-day payments, Bitcoin must be fast. As it stands, it has a relatively low throughput, meaning that a limited amount of transactions can be processed per block.

As you know from the previous chapter, miners receive transaction fees as part of the block reward. Users attach these to their transactions to incentivize miners to add their transactions to the blockchain.

Miners seek to make a return on their investment into hardware and electricity, so they prioritize transactions with higher fees. If there are a lot of transactions in the network’s “waiting room” (called the mempool), fees can rise significantly as users bid to have theirs included. At its worst, the average fee was upwards of $50.

How many transactions can Bitcoin process?

Based on the average number of transactions per block, Bitcoin can manage approximately five transactions per second at the moment. It’s much lower than that of centralized payment solutions, but this is one of the costs of a decentralized currency.

Because it’s not managed by a data center that a single entity can upgrade at will, Bitcoin must limit the size of its blocks. A new block size that allows 10,000 transactions per second could be integrated, but it would harm the network’s decentralization. Remember that full nodes need to download new information roughly every ten minutes. If it becomes too burdensome for them to do so, they’ll likely go offline.

If the protocol is to be used to payments, Bitcoin enthusiasts believe that effective scaling needs to be achieved in different ways.

What is the Lightning Network?

The Lightning Network is a proposed scalability solution for Bitcoin. We call it a layer two solution because it moves transactions away from the blockchain. Instead of recording all transactions on the base layer, they’re handled by another protocol built on top of it.

The Lightning Network allows users to send funds near-instantly and for free. There are no constraints on throughput (provided users have the capacity to send and receive). To use the Bitcoin Lightning Network, two participants lock up some of their coins in a special address. The address has a unique property – it only releases the bitcoins if both parties agree.

From there, the parties keep a private ledger that can reallocate balances without announcing it to the main chain. They only publish a transaction to the blockchain when they’re done. The protocol then updates their balances accordingly. Note that they don’t need to trust each other, either. If one tries to cheat, the protocol will detect it and punish them.

In total, a payment channel like this one only requires two on-chain transactions from the user – one to fund their address and one to later dispense the coins. This means that thousands of transfers can be made in the meantime. With further development and optimization, the technology could become a critical component for large blockchain systems.

For a more detailed explainer on the scalability issue and its potential solutions, take a look at Blockchain Scalability – Sidechains and Payment Channels.

What are forks?

Since Bitcoin is open-source, anyone can modify the software. You could add new rules or remove old ones to suit different needs. But not all changes are created equal: some updates will make your node incompatible with the network, while others will be backward-compatible.

Soft forks

A soft fork is a change to the rules that allows updated nodes to interact with old ones. Let’s take block size as an example. Suppose that we have a block size of 2MB and that half of the network implements a change – from now on, all blocks must not exceed 1MB. They would reject anything bigger.

Older nodes can still receive these blocks or propagate their own. That means that all nodes remain part of the same network, no matter which version they run.

In the below animation, we can see that the smaller blocks are accepted both by older and updated nodes. However, newer nodes will not recognize 2MB blocks, because they are already following the new rules.

Soft fork explanation gif

Bitcoin’s Segregated Witness (or SegWit) is an example of a soft fork. Using a clever technique, it introduced a new format for blocks and transactions. Old nodes continue to receive blocks, but they don’t validate the new transaction type.

Hard forks

A hard fork is messier. Suppose now that half of the network wants to increase the block size from 2MB to 3MB. If you try to send a 3MB block to older nodes, the nodes reject it as the rules clearly state that 2MB is the maximum they can accept. Because the two networks are no longer compatible, the blockchain splits into two.

hard fork explanation gif

The black chain in the diagram above is the original one. Block 2 is where the hard fork has taken place. Here, nodes that have upgraded have started producing larger blocks (the green ones). The older nodes don’t recognize those, so they continue along a different path. There are now two blockchains, but they share a history until Block 2.

Now there are two different protocols, each with a different currency. All the balances on the old one are cloned, meaning that if you had 20 BTC on the original chain, you have 20 NewBTC on the new one.

In 2017, Bitcoin went through a controversial hard fork in a scenario similar to the above. A minority of participants wanted to increase the block size to ensure more throughput and cheaper transaction fees. Others believed this to be a poor scaling strategy. Eventually, the hard fork gave birth to Bitcoin Cash (BCH), which split from the Bitcoin network and now has an independent community and roadmap.

To learn more about forks, see Hard Forks and Soft Forks.

Participating in the Bitcoin Network

What is a Bitcoin node?

“Bitcoin node” is a term used to describe a program that interacts with the Bitcoin network in some way. It can be anything from a mobile phone operating a Bitcoin wallet to a dedicated computer that stores a full copy of the blockchain.

There are several types of nodes, each performing specific functions. All of them act as a communication point to the network. Within the system, they transmit information about transactions and blocks.

How does a Bitcoin node work?

Full nodes

A full node validates transactions and blocks if they meet certain requirements (i.e., follow the rules) Bitcoin Core software, which is the reference implementation of the Bitcoin protocol.

Bitcoin Core was the program released by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009 – it was simply named Bitcoin at the time, but was later renamed to avoid any confusion. Other implementations can be used, too, provided they’re compatible with Bitcoin Core.

Full nodes are integral to Bitcoin’s decentralization. They download and validate blocks and transactions, and propagate them to the rest of the network. Because they independently verify the authenticity of the information they’re being provided with, the user doesn’t rely on a third party for anything.

If a full node stores a full copy of the blockchain, it is referred to as a full archival node. Some users discard older blocks, though, in order to save space – the Bitcoin blockchain contains over 200GB of transaction data.

Global distribution of bitcoin full nodes Global distribution of Bitcoin full nodes. Source: bitnodes.earn.com

Light nodes

Light nodes are not as capable as full nodes, but they’re also less resource-intensive. They allow users to interface with the network without performing all of the operations that a full node does.

Where a full node downloads all blocks to validate them, light nodes only download a portion of each block (called a block header). Though the block header is tiny in size, it contains information that allows users to check that their transactions are in a specific block.

Light nodes are ideal for devices with constraints in bandwidth or space. It’s common to see this type of node being used in desktop and mobile wallets. Because they can’t perform validation, however, light nodes are dependent on full nodes.

Mining nodes

Mining nodes are full nodes that perform an additional task – they produce blocks. As we touched on earlier, they require specialized equipment and software to add data to the blockchain.

Mining nodes take pending transactions and hash them along with other information to generate a number. If the number falls below a target set by the protocol, the block is valid and can be broadcast to other full nodes.

But in order to mine without relying on anyone else, miners need to run a full node. Otherwise, they can’t know what transactions to include in the block.

If a participant wants to mine but doesn’t want to use a full node, they can connect to a server that gives them the information they need. If you mine in a pool (that is, by working with others), only one person needs to run a full node.

For a breakdown of the different kinds of nodes, see What are Nodes?

How to run a full Bitcoin node

A full node can be advantageous for developers, merchants, and end-users. Running the Bitcoin Core client on your own hardware gives you privacy and security benefits, and strengthens the Bitcoin network overall. With a full node, you no longer rely on anyone else to interact with the ecosystem.

A handful of Bitcoin-oriented companies offer plug-and-play nodes. Pre-built hardware is shipped to the user, who just needs to power it on to begin downloading the blockchain. This can be more convenient for less technical users, but it’s often considerably more expensive than setting up your own.

In most cases, an old PC or laptop will suffice. It’s not advisable to run a node on your day-to-day computer as it could slow it down considerably. The blockchain grows continuously, so you’ll need to ensure that you have enough memory to download it in its entirety.

A 1TB hard drive will suffice for the next several years, provided there isn’t any major change to the block size. Other requirements include 2GB of RAM (most computers have more than this by default) and a lot of bandwidth.

From there, the Running a Full Node guide on bitcoin.org details the process of setting your node up.

How to mine Bitcoin

In the early days of Bitcoin, it was possible to create new blocks with conventional laptops. The system was unknown at that point, so there was little competition in mining. Because activity was so limited, the protocol naturally set a low mining difficulty.

As the network’s hash rate rose, participants needed to upgrade to better equipment to stay competitive. Transitioning through various kinds of hardware, the mining industry eventually entered what we might call the Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) era.

As the name might suggest, these devices are built with a specific purpose in mind. They’re extremely efficient, but they’re only capable of performing one task. So, a mining ASIC is a specialized computer that is used for mining and nothing else. A Bitcoin ASIC can mine Bitcoin, but can’t mine coins that don’t use the same algorithm.

Mining Bitcoin today requires significant investment – not only in hardware but also in energy. At the time of writing, a good mining device performs upwards of ten trillion operations per second. Although very efficient, ASIC miners consume tremendous amounts of electricity. Unless you have access to several mining rigs and cheap electricity, you’re unlikely to ever turn a profit with Bitcoin mining.

With the materials, however, setting up your mining operation is straightforward – many ASICs come with their own software. The most popular option is to point your miners towards a mining pool, where you work with others to find blocks. If you’re successful, you’ll receive part of the block reward proportional to the hash rate you’ve provided.

You can also choose to solo mine, where you work alone. The probability of generating a block will be lower, but you’ll keep all of the rewards if you create a valid one.

How long does it take to mine a bitcoin?

It’s difficult to give a one-size-fits-all answer because there are a number of variables to consider. How quickly you can mine a coin depends on the amount of electricity and hash rate available to you. You’ll also need to factor in the costs of actually operating a mining device.

To get an idea of the revenue generated from mining Bitcoin, it’s recommended that you use a mining calculator to estimate costs.

Who can contribute to the Bitcoin code?

The Bitcoin Core software is open-source, meaning that anyone can contribute to it. You can propose or review new features to be added to the 70,000+ lines of code. You can also report bugs, or translate and improve the documentation.

Changes to the software go through a rigorous reviewing process. After all, software that handles hundreds of billions of dollars in value must be free of any vulnerabilities.

If you’re interested in contributing to Bitcoin, be sure to check out developer Jimmy Song’s blog post on getting involved, or the Bitcoin Core website.

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What Is Fractional Reserve?

What Is Fractional Reserve?
Fractional reserve is a banking system that allows commercial banks to profit by loaning part of their customers’ deposits, while just a small fraction of these deposits are stored as real cash and available for withdrawal. Practically speaking, this banking system creates money out of nothing using a percentage of their customers’ bank deposits.
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Blockchain Oracles Explained

Blockchain Oracles Explained
Blockchain oracles are third-party services that provide smart contracts with external information. They serve as bridges between blockchains and the outside world. Blockchains and smart contracts cannot access off-chain data (data that is outside of the network). However, for many contractual agreements, it is vital to have relevant information from the outside world to execute the agreement.
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What Is Quantitative Easing (QE)?

What Is Quantitative Easing (QE)?
Quantitative Easing (QE) may present different and controversial definitions. But basically speaking, it is a market operation (performed by central banks) that increases liquidity and inflation, with the alleged intention of stimulating the economy of a nation, encouraging businesses and consumers to borrow and spend more.
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Blockchain Use Cases - Prediction Markets

Blockchain Use Cases - Prediction Markets
When you stumble across the terms blockchain and markets in the same sentence, you no doubt consider the booming ecosystem of exchanges facilitating cryptocurrency trades. Blockchain technology is incredibly versatile, however, and allows for markets of all sorts to be built on top of it. Financial assets can be either physical objects (tangible) or digital goods (intangible). But regardless of the type, where there are assets that hold value, there is a potential market. In this article, we’ll take a look at a particular kind of market that could benefit significantly from blockchain technology – prediction markets.
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What Is BNB?

What Is BNB?
BNB was launched through an Initial Coin Offering (or ICO) that took place from June 26th to July 3rd, 2017 - 11 days before the Binance Exchange opened for trading. The issue price was 1 ETH for 2,700 BNB or 1 BTC for 20,000 BNB. Although BNB was launched through an ICO, BNB does not provide users with a claim on Binance profits and does not represent an investment in Binance.
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Blockchain Use Cases - Remittance

Blockchain Use Cases - Remittance
In short, remittance can be defined as the transfer of money to a distant location, usually between individuals that live in different countries. In most cases, it consists of an immigrant worker sending money to their home country. Today, remittances represent the largest flow of funds into the developing world, surpassing foreign direct investments and official development assistance. According to the World Bank Group, the remittance industry experienced significant growth in the past years, up 8.8% in 2017 and 9.6% in 2018.
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Blockchain Use Cases - Digital Identity

Blockchain Use Cases - Digital Identity
Among the many emerging use cases of blockchain technology, digital identity management and verification is perhaps one of the most promising. In 2018 alone, billions of people were affected by personal data breaches, all around the world. There is an undeniable need for more secure methods of storing, transferring, and verifying sensitive information. In this context, blockchain systems may bring valuable solutions to some of the difficulties faced by most centralized databases.
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What Makes a Blockchain Secure?

What Makes a Blockchain Secure?
Blockchains are secured through a variety of mechanisms that include advanced cryptographic techniques and mathematical models of behavior and decision-making. Blockchain technology is the underlying structure of most cryptocurrency systems and is what prevents this kind of digital money from being duplicated or destroyed. The use of blockchain technology is also being explored in other contexts where data immutability and security are highly valuable. A few examples include the act of recording and tracking charity donations, medical databases, and supply chain management. However, blockchain security is far from being a simple subject. Therefore, it is important to understand the basic concepts and mechanisms that grant robust protection to these innovative systems.
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What Are Options Contracts?

What Are Options Contracts?
An options contract is an agreement that gives a trader the right to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price, either before or at a certain date. Although it may sound similar to futures contracts, traders that buy options contracts are not obligated to settle their positions. Options contracts are derivatives that can be based on a wide range of underlying assets, including stocks, and cryptocurrencies. These contracts may also be derived from financial indexes. Typically, options contracts are used for hedging risks on existing positions and for speculative trading.
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What Is Tokenomics and Why Does It Matter?

What Is Tokenomics and Why Does It Matter?
Tokenomics is a term that captures a token’s economics. It describes the factors that impact a token’s use and value, including but not limited to the token’s creation and distribution, supply and demand, incentive mechanisms, and token burn schedules. For crypto projects, well-designed tokenomics is critical to success. Assessing a project’s tokenomics before deciding to participate is essential for investors and stakeholders.
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What Is Bitcoin Cash (BCH)?

What Is Bitcoin Cash (BCH)?
When politics happen to blockchains, hard forks can instigate new projects. Bitcoin Cash (BCH) was created by a group of developers, investors, entrepreneurs, and miners who were unsatisfied with Bitcoin’s development plans. Created in August 2017, Bitcoin Cash is a peer-to-peer electronic cash system that focuses on increased scalability and low transaction fees. The project is also referred to as Bitcoin ABC (Adjustable Blocksize Cap).
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Blockchain Use Cases

Blockchain Use Cases
The ideas behind blockchain were first conceived as early as 1991, but it wasn't until Bitcoin was developed in 2009 that the technology started to receive more attention. Bitcoin was created by a person or group of people under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Though it's still unknown exactly who Satoshi Nakamoto is, their technological innovation has already made a huge impact on the way the world creates and uses money.
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Blockchain Use Cases - Supply Chain

Blockchain Use Cases - Supply Chain
A supply chain is a network of people and businesses involved in creating and distributing a particular product or service - all the way from the initial suppliers to the end users and customers. A basic supply chain system often involves the suppliers of food or raw materials, the manufacturers (processing stage), the logistics companies, and the final retailers.
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Blockchain Use Cases - Charity

Blockchain Use Cases - Charity
Charitable organizations often encounter barriers to success due to a lack of transparency, accountability issues, and limits to the ways they can accept donations. Crypto-philanthropy (or the use of blockchain technology to facilitate charitable contributions) offers an alternative solution, with decentralized and direct transactions that may help these organizations receive donations and raise funds more efficiently.
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Blockchain Use Cases - Healthcare

Blockchain Use Cases - Healthcare
While it is more often associated with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology has also been explored for data storage and protection in a range of different industries. Along with charity and supply chain, the healthcare sector is among the most discussed use cases. But what aspects of blockchain make it suitable for healthcare?
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What Are Smart Contracts?

What Are Smart Contracts?
Nick Szabo first described smart contracts in the 1990s. Back then, he defined a smart contract as a tool that formalizes and secures computer networks by combining protocols with user interfaces.
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What Is Ripple(XRP)?

What Is Ripple(XRP)?
Formerly known as OpenCoin, Ripple is a privately held company that is building a payment and exchange network (RippleNet) on top of a distributed ledger database (XRP Ledger). The main goal of Ripple is to connect banks, payment providers and digital asset exchanges, enabling faster and cost-efficient global payments.
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What Is BETH and How to Use It

What Is BETH and How to Use It
BETH is a tokenized version of staked ETH on Binance. It’s a simple way to participate in staking on the Beacon Chain. By holding it, you’re entitled to staking rewards earned by Binance’s ETH 2.0 staking node. But that’s not all; you can also use it in several other ways on the Binance platform and BNB Smart Chain (BSC).
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APY vs APR - What’s the Difference?

APY vs APR - What’s the Difference?
You have likely seen these two similar-sounding terms, APY and APR, when looking into decentralized finance (DeFi) products. APY, or annual percentage yield, incorporates interest compounded quarterly, monthly, weekly, or daily, while APR, or annual percentage rate, doesn’t. This simple distinction can make a significant difference to the calculations for returns over a period of time. It is therefore important to understand how these two metrics are calculated and what it means for the returns that you can earn on your digital funds.
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The Merge Ethereum Upgrade - All You Need To Know

The Merge Ethereum Upgrade - All You Need To Know
The Ethereum mainnet will soon shift from a Proof of Work to a Proof of Stake consensus mechanism in an upgrade called The Merge. The Merge is part of a series of major Ethereum ecosystem upgrades, which also include The Surge, The Verge, The Purge, and The Splurge. The goal of these upgrades is to make Ethereum more scalable and energy efficient. The Merge will combine the Ethereum mainnet with the Proof of Stake Beacon Chain and is expected to happen in September 2022.
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Blockchain Use Cases - Governance

Blockchain Use Cases - Governance
Although blockchain technology was initially designed to function as the architecture of Bitcoin, it's now being used in many different fields. One of these fields is that of governance, where distributed systems have the potential to greatly change the public sector.
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Top 7 Technologies that Power the Metaverse

Top 7 Technologies that Power the Metaverse
The metaverse is a concept of a 3D digital world. It consists of virtual spaces that you can explore using an avatar you create. In the metaverse, you can play games, go shopping, hang out with friends at a virtual coffee shop, work with your colleagues in a virtual office, and much more. Some video games and work socialization tools have already implemented certain metaverse elements into their ecosystems.
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Blockchain Use Cases - The Internet of Things (IoT)

Blockchain Use Cases - The Internet of Things (IoT)
Since the early days of the Digital Revolution in the 1950s, a wide range of groundbreaking technology has been created. Despite being initially restricted to just a few individuals, the industry developed very quickly, and most of the novel technologies became increasingly widespread and accessible.
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Web2 vs. Web3 - Which Is Better?

Web2 vs. Web3 - Which Is Better?
While the current version of the Internet, Web2, is used by millions, it is not without its flaws. Issues regarding data ownership, censorship, and security continue to plague the Internet, spurring the conceptualization of a new and improved version called Web3. This future Internet seeks to include technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and augmented reality (AR). At its core, an ideal Web3 should offer benefits such as data ownership and confidentiality. Web3 is touted to be an improved version of Web2 but what exactly is it, and is it better?
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What Is an ICO (Initial Coin Offering)?

What Is an ICO (Initial Coin Offering)?
An Initial Coin Offering (or ICO) is a method for teams to raise funds for a project in the cryptocurrency space. In an ICO, teams generate blockchain-based tokens to sell to early supporters. This serves as a crowdfunding phase – users receive tokens that they can use (either immediately or in the future), and the project receives money to fund development.
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How to Build a Well-Balanced Crypto Portfolio

How to Build a Well-Balanced Crypto Portfolio
Balancing a crypto portfolio is not that different from balancing a traditional portfolio. You can easily reduce your overall risk according to your profile and investment strategy. All it takes to get started is simply diversifying your investments among different cryptocurrencies.
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General Security Principles

General Security Principles
Cryptocurrencies have brought lots of exciting possibilities, but they are also full of risks and dangers for the inexperienced. Follow the three main security principles outlined below to mitigate some risks associated with using, holding, and trading cryptocurrencies.
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What Is Social Engineering?

What Is Social Engineering?
In a broader sense, any kind of manipulation linked to behavioral psychology can be considered social engineering. However, the concept is not always related to criminal or fraudulent activities. In fact, social engineering is being widely used and studied in a variety of contexts, in fields like social sciences, psychology, and marketing.
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Market Makers and Market Takers Explained

Market Makers and Market Takers Explained
Markets are made up of makers and takers. The makers create buying or selling orders that aren’t carried out immediately (e.g., “sell BTC when the price hits $15k”). This creates liquidity, meaning it’s easier for others to instantly buy or sell BTC when the condition is met. The people that buy or sell instantly are called takers. In other words, the takers fill the orders created by the makers.
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Game Theory and Cryptocurrencies

Game Theory and Cryptocurrencies
Game theory is fundamental to the development of cryptocurrencies and is one of the reasons why Bitcoin managed to thrive for over a decade, despite numerous attempts to disrupt the network.
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What Is a Decentralized Exchange (DEX)?

What Is a Decentralized Exchange (DEX)?
You probably know the drill with cryptocurrency exchanges. Sign up with your email, come up with a strong password, verify your account, and start trading cryptocurrency. Decentralized exchanges are like that, minus the hassle of sign-ups. In most cases, there’s no depositing or withdrawing crypto. The trade happens directly between two users’ wallets, with limited (if any!) input from a third-party.
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An Introduction to Confidential Transactions

An Introduction to Confidential Transactions
It’s often considered critical to the functioning of a blockchain that the system is transparent. This means that every node on the network can store a copy and verify that no rules are being broken. For many distributed ledgers, anyone can load up an online block explorer that allows them to search through blocks, transactions, and addresses.
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What Is Shorting in the Financial Markets?

What Is Shorting in the Financial Markets?
There are countless ways to generate profits in the financial markets. Some traders will use technical analysis, while others will invest in companies and projects using fundamental analysis. As such, you, as a trader or investor, also have many different options to create a profitable trading strategy.
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The Wyckoff Method Explained

The Wyckoff Method Explained
Данный торговый метод был разработан Ричардом Вайкоффом в начале 1930-х годов. Он состоит из ряда принципов и стратегий, изначально разработанных для трейдеров и инвесторов. Вайкофф посвятил значительную часть своего жизненного опыта для изучения поведений на рынке, и его работа до сих пор оказывает влияние на большую часть современного технического анализа (ТА). В настоящее время, метод Вайкоффа применяется ко всем видам финансовых рынков, хотя изначально он был ориентирован только на акции.
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An Introduction to The Dow Theory

An Introduction to The Dow Theory
Essentially, the Dow Theory is a framework for technical analysis, which is based on the writings of Charles Dow concerning market theory. Dow was the founder and editor of the Wall Street Journal and the co-founder of Dow Jones & Company. As part of the company, he helped create the first stock index, known as the Dow Jones Transportation Index (DJT), followed by the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA).
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Об инвестировании, хаосе и аппроксимации рынка

Об инвестировании, хаосе и аппроксимации рынка
Данную статью я решил написать, потому что мне часто пишут в личных сообщениях с вопросами, насколько профессиональна ваша команда управляющих? Владеете ли вы инсайдерской информацией при торговле? Как поведет себя портфель на падающем рынке? и так далее. Ниже я постараюсь прояснить стратегии, и кратко объяснить почему они работают. На просторах Сети полным полно торговых стратегий, материалов, мануалов, готовых решений, сборок, обученных нейросетей и прочего добра, посвященного прогнозированию цен на криптовалютные и традиционные биржевые активы, пахнущего быстрыми и легкими доходами с минимумом усилий. И хоть пишут их разные люди, с разными подходами, на разных платформах и с разными парадигмами, у них всех есть один неизменный общий атрибут — они не работают. Другими словами с их помощью невозможно со стопроцентной вероятностью спрогнозировать куда пойдет график в том или ином отрезке времени в будущем.
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What Is Livepeer (LPT)?

What Is Livepeer (LPT)?
Livepeer is a decentralized video protocol built on the Ethereum blockchain. It was designed for anyone to seamlessly integrate video content into applications in a decentralized manner and at a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions. Decentralization of video processing is accomplished by distributing the transcoding process to a network of node operators. Transcoding is an essential step in ensuring smooth delivery of video content to end users. It involves taking raw video files and converting them to the optimal state for each end user, based on factors such as device screen size or internet connection.
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Что делать с долларом сегодня

Что делать с долларом сегодня
Сегодня в России для россиян доллар становится очень токсичной валютой. То есть им (долларом) тяжело владеть, если ты владеешь им, то на тебя накладывают различные комиссии, вы наверное уже в курсе, что есть комиссия за хранение валюты на брокерских счетах, на банковских счетах, блокируют swift переводы и так далее. В чём главная опасность? И почему банки сейчас так выжимают людей из доллара? Главная опасность в возможной блокировке российских банков, а точнее корреспондентских счетов российских банков в иностранных банках. Что это такое? В чём суть?
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What Are Nodes?

What Are Nodes?
The definition of a node may vary according to the context. When it comes to computer or telecommunication networks, nodes may act either as a redistribution point or as a communication endpoint. Usually, a node consists of a physical network device, but there are some cases where virtual nodes are used.
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Coin Mixing and CoinJoins Explained

Coin Mixing and CoinJoins Explained
Bitcoin is often referred to as digital cash, but this is a questionable comparison. If Alice pays Bob ten dollars in cash, Bob has no idea where the money came from. If he later goes on to give it to Carol, she will be unable to deduce that Alice was once in possession of it. Bitcoin is different because of its inherent public nature. The history of a given coin (more precisely, an unspent transaction output or UTXO) can be trivially observed by anyone. It’s a bit like writing the transaction amount and names of participants on a bill every time it’s used.
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What Is Anti-Money Laundering (AML)?

What Is Anti-Money Laundering (AML)?
AML regulations attempt to stop the illegal laundering of illicit funds. Individual governments and multinational organizations like the FATF legislate against money laundering activities. Money laundering takes “dirty” money and turns it into clean money. This can be done by disguising the origins of the funds, mixing them with legitimate transactions, or investing them into legal assets.
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What Are Crypto Cards and How Do They Work?

What Are Crypto Cards and How Do They Work?
A typical crypto card lets you earn crypto rewards or instantly convert your crypto to fiat currency to pay for goods and services. Both Mastercard and Visa issue crypto cards, meaning you can use your crypto in millions of locations globally. A prepaid crypto card is similar to a debit card in that it has to be pre-loaded with crypto to spend. You can get a crypto card from a licensed issuer such as a crypto exchange or bank. However, crypto cards aren't without risk. Your funds stored on the card can still lose their market value, and any transactions you make with your card are likely to be taxable.
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What Is Play-to-Earn and How to Cash Out?

What Is Play-to-Earn and How to Cash Out?
Play-to-earn games allow users to farm or collect crypto and NFTs that can be sold on the market. By playing the game regularly, each player can earn more items or tokens to sell and generate an income. Some players have even begun to supplement or replace their salaries playing these blockchain games. However, such activity involves risk, as you typically need to put up an initial investment to purchase characters and items to play the game. Blockchain helps guarantee the collectibility of these items and create working digital economies. Blockchain technology and NFTs allowed for the creation of digital items that are impossible to duplicate. This created the concept of digital scarcity.
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What Is Uniswap and How Does It Work?

What Is Uniswap and How Does It Work?
Uniswap is a set of computer programs that run on the Ethereum blockchain and allow for decentralized token swaps. It works with the help of unicorns (as illustrated by their logo). Traders can exchange Ethereum tokens on Uniswap without having to trust anyone with their funds. Meanwhile, anyone can lend their crypto to special reserves called liquidity pools. In exchange for providing money to these pools, they earn fees. How do these magical unicorns convert one token to the other? What do you need to use Uniswap? Let’s read on.
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Mining Pools Explained

Mining Pools Explained
Mining is integral to the security of Proof of Work blockchains. By computing hashes with certain properties, participants are able to secure cryptocurrency networks without the need for a central authority. When Bitcoin first launched in 2009, anyone with a regular PC could compete with other miners to guess a valid hash for the next block. That’s because the mining difficulty was low. There wasn’t much hash rate on the network. As such, you didn’t need specialized hardware to add new blocks to the blockchain.
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Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto?

Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto?
Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym behind the development of Bitcoin and the authorship of the original Bitcoin whitepaper. The question “who is Satoshi Nakamoto?” has led to speculation of their true identity as well as people falsely claiming they are Satoshi Nakamoto. The creator of Bitcoin has been clouded in mystery for more than a decade. However, it’s clear that Satoshi still owns bitcoins since their public keys were traced from the genesis block, which Satoshi mined.
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What Is Cryptocurrency Mining?

What Is Cryptocurrency Mining?
Cryptocurrency mining refers to the process of verifying and validating blockchain transactions. It’s also the process that creates new units of cryptocurrencies. The work done by miners requires intensive computational resources, but it’s what keeps a blockchain network secure. Honest and successful miners are rewarded for their work with newly created cryptocurrencies plus transaction fees.
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A Quick Guide to Binance Dual Investment

A Quick Guide to Binance Dual Investment
We all know that to get a return on an investment, we need to buy low and sell high. Investing in cryptocurrency is no different. Binance Dual Investment provides a great way to seize Buy Low and Sell High opportunities while also providing you with additional returns. Let’s dive into how it works and exactly how you can get started.
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Hybrid PoW/PoS Consensus Explained

Hybrid PoW/PoS Consensus Explained
A blockchain’s consensus mechanism serves to ensure that there is agreement among participants on the current state of the blockchain. The consensus mechanism determines who is able to add new blocks of transactions, and one of its primary aims is to ensure that the chain is not re-written.
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Your Guide to Binance Earn

Your Guide to Binance Earn
Not interested in trading but still looking to increase your crypto holdings? Is the 0.05% interest your local bank offers on your savings account not exciting enough? Well, you’ll find alternative choices within the Binance Earn product suite. Binance Earn is your crypto savings account. Here, you’ll find a great variety of options for earning passive income with your crypto holdings.
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Delegated Proof of Stake Explained

Delegated Proof of Stake Explained
The Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) consensus algorithm is considered by many as a more efficient and democratic version of the preceding PoS mechanism. Both PoS and DPoS are used as an alternative to the Proof of Work consensus algorithm, since a PoW system requires, by design, lots of external resources. The Proof of Work algorithm makes use of a large amount of computational work in order to secure an immutable, decentralized and transparent distributed ledger. Contrarily, PoS and DPoS require fewer resources and are, by design, more sustainable and eco-friendly. To understand how Delegated Proof of Stake works, one must first grasp the basics of the Proof of Work and Proof of Stake algorithms that preceded it.
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Proof of Burn Explained

Proof of Burn Explained
While most blockchain systems either make use of a Proof of Work (PoW) or a Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus algorithm, the Proof of Burn (PoB) is being tested as a possible alternative to those.
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Proof of Authority Explained

Proof of Authority Explained
The cryptocurrency space has changed a lot since the first blockchain transaction on the Bitcoin network. Along with the well-known Proof of Work and Proof of Stake algorithms, other consensus mechanisms were proposed, with alternative methods for reaching consensus within a blockchain system.
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What Is a DoS Attack?

What Is a DoS Attack?
In short, a DoS attack (or Denial-of-Service attack) is a method used to disrupt legitimate users' access to a target network or web resource. Typically, this is accomplished by overloading the target (often a web server) with a massive amount of traffic - or by sending malicious requests that cause the target resource to malfunction or crash entirely.
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What Is a 51% Attack?

What Is a 51% Attack?
Before diving into the 51% attack, it is crucial to have a good understanding of mining and blockchain-based systems. One of the key strengths of Bitcoin and its underlying blockchain technology is the distributed nature of building and verifying data. The decentralized work of the nodes ensures that the protocol rules are being followed and that all network participants agree on the current state of the blockchain. This means that the majority of nodes need to regularly reach consensus in regards to the process of mining, to the version of the software being used, to the validity of transactions, and so forth.
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Delayed Proof of Work Explained

Delayed Proof of Work Explained
Delayed Proof of Work (dPoW) is a security mechanism designed by the Komodo project. It is basically a modified version of the Proof of Work (PoW) consensus algorithm that makes use of Bitcoin blockchain’s hashpower as a way to enhance network security. By using dPoW, Komodo developers are able to secure not only their own network but also any third-party chain that ends up joining the Komodo ecosystem in the future. In fact, dPoW can be implemented for any project that develops an independent blockchain using a UTXO model.
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What Is a Blockchain Consensus Algorithm?

What Is a Blockchain Consensus Algorithm?
A consensus algorithm is a mechanism that allows users or machines to coordinate in a distributed setting. It needs to ensure that all agents in the system can agree on a single source of truth, even if some agents fail. In other words, the system must be fault-tolerant (see also - Byzantine Fault Tolerance Explained). In a centralized setup, a single entity has power over the system. In most cases, they can make changes as they please – there isn’t some complex governance system for reaching consensus amongst many administrators.
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5 BSC Metaverse Projects You Should Know

5 BSC Metaverse Projects You Should Know
The metaverse is an online, immersive space where users can work, play, and socialize in a 3D environment. The metaverse is still developing, but blockchain technology already plays a significant role. BNB Smart Chain (BSC) is the home to many metaverse projects experimenting with play-to-earn blockchain games and community sandboxes.decentral.games lets users play and run their own casino through governance mechanisms. Cyber Dragon and Alien Worlds both provide an RPG-like experience where players have their own character, missions, and loot. TopGoal is also gaming-related but focuses on the collectability of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to represent sports stars like trading cards.
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A Beginner's Guide to Earning Passive Income With Crypto

A Beginner's Guide to Earning Passive Income With Crypto
Trading or investing in projects is one way to make money in the blockchain industry. However, that typically requires detailed research and a substantial investment of time – but it still won’t guarantee a reliable source of income. Even the best investors can experience prolonged periods of loss, and one of the ways to survive them is to have alternative sources of income.
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What Is Crypto Lending and How Does It Work?

What Is Crypto Lending and How Does It Work?
Crypto lending lets users borrow and lend cryptocurrencies for a fee or interest. You can instantly get a loan and start investing just by providing some collateral. This could be through a DeFi lending DApp or a cryptocurrency exchange. When your collateral falls below a certain value, you will need to top it up to the required level to avoid liquidation. When you return your loan plus a fee, your capital is unlocked.
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A Beginner's Guide to Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

A Beginner's Guide to Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
DeFi lets users access crypto financial services with just no more than a wallet with some crypto. A range of DApps facilitates lending, liquidity provision, swaps, staking, and more across many blockchains. While Ethereum was DeFi's original home, most blockchains with smart contract capabilities now host DeFi DApps. Smart contracts are essential to the services DeFi offers, which include staking, investing, lending, harvesting, and more.
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5 NFT Projects You Should Know

5 NFT Projects You Should Know
The interest in NFTs has exploded. While many NFT projects had a small community of enthusiasts since their early existence, 2021 has brought forth a bit of an NFT bubble. Many thought DeFi would bring mainstream adoption to the crypto space. However, it seems like the value proposition of NFTs is much easier to grasp for people not involved with blockchain technology. As such, some NFT projects have even entered the mainstream. But which ones are they?
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Top 3 NFT Projects on Binance Smart Chain

Top 3 NFT Projects on Binance Smart Chain
The demand for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) keeps growing on Binance Smart Chain (BSC). The blockchain’s speed and low transaction fees make it very attractive for both users and developers. On BSC, Battle Pets, PancakeSwap, and BakerySwap have all pushed further the limits of what an NFT can do. Both Battle Pets and BakerySwap combine collectibles with Decentralized Finance (DeFi) staking for their tokens. PancakeSwap is also experimenting with NFTs that merge collectability, financial utility, and gamification.
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Top 7 NFT Use Cases

Top 7 NFT Use Cases
Massive interest in non-fungible tokens has led to a boom in crypto-collectibles and NFT art. These are two of the most prominent use cases in the DeFi ecosystem, but they aren’t the only applications. Scarcity and uniqueness make non-fungible tokens a good match for real-world assets, logistics, music royalties, and more. As NFTs mature, we can expect to see further adoption of more experimental use cases.
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What Are NFT Games and How Do They Work?

What Are NFT Games and How Do They Work?
NFTs are unique digital collectibles on the blockchain. This feature makes them suitable to use in games as representations as characters, consumables, and other tradeable items. NFT games have become popular in the Game-fi world as a way to earn income. You can sell your in-game NFTs to other collectors and players and even earn tokens with play-to-earn models.
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What Is the Metaverse?

What Is the Metaverse?
The metaverse is a concept of a persistent, online, 3D universe that combines multiple different virtual spaces. You can think of it as a future iteration of the internet. The metaverse will allow users to work, meet, game, and socialize together in these 3D spaces.
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What Are CryptoPunks?

What Are CryptoPunks?
CryptoPunks are collectible pieces of crypto art, represented by NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain. There are 10,000 small, 8-bit-style punks, all with unique features. As one of the first famous NFT projects, they inspired a lot of crypto artists and even the development of the ERC-721 token standard for digital collectibles. The project became more popular in 2021 after some CryptoPunks were sold for millions of dollars, making them some of the most expensive NFTs.
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What Is an Automated Market Maker (AMM)?

What Is an Automated Market Maker (AMM)?
You could think of an automated market maker as a robot that’s always willing to quote you a price between two assets. Some use a simple formula like Uniswap, while Curve, Balancer and others use more complicated ones.
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A Guide to Crypto Collectibles and Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs)

A Guide to Crypto Collectibles and Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs)
The creation of Bitcoin introduced the concept of trustless, digital scarcity. Before it, the cost of digitally copying something was next to nothing. With the advent of blockchain technology, programmable digital scarcity has become possible – letting us map the digital world to the real world. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), often referred to as crypto collectibles, expand this idea. Unlike cryptocurrencies, where each token is equal, non-fungible tokens are unique and limited in quantity.
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Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) Explained

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) Explained
Blockchains are already radically transforming our financial system. However, properties such as trustlessness and immutability aren’t only useful in monetary applications. Another potential candidate ripe for disruption by this technology is governance. Blockchains could enable entirely new types of organizations that can run autonomously without the need for coordination by a central entity. This article will give an introduction to what these organizations might look like.
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A Beginner's Introduction to Cryptoeconomics

A Beginner's Introduction to Cryptoeconomics
In simple terms, cryptoeconomics provides a way to coordinate the behavior of network participants by combining cryptography with economics. More specifically, cryptoeconomics is an area of computer science that attempts to solve participant coordination problems in digital ecosystems through cryptography and economic incentives.
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Pyramid and Ponzi Schemes

Pyramid and Ponzi Schemes
Most individuals that invest in Bitcoin – or that participate in Initial Coin Offering (ICO) events – are usually concerned about two things. First, the Return of Investment (ROI), which represents the profits they will eventually make from the initial investment. Then, there is a second concern, which is related to the amount of risk involved with the investment. When the risks are too high, investors are more likely to lose their initial investment (in parts or completely), which would result in a negative ROI.
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What is Public Key Cryptography?

What is Public Key Cryptography?
Public key cryptography (PKC), also known as asymmetric cryptography, is a framework that uses both a private and a public key, as opposed to the single key used in symmetric cryptography. The use of key pairs gives PKC a unique set of characteristics and capabilities that can be utilized to solve challenges inherent in other cryptographic techniques. This form of cryptography has become an important element of modern computer security, as well as a critical component of the growing cryptocurrency ecosystem.
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History of Cryptography

History of Cryptography
Cryptography, the science of writing codes and ciphers for secure communication, is one of the most important elements that goes into making modern cryptocurrencies and blockchains possible. The cryptographic techniques used today, however, are the result of an incredibly long history of development. Since ancient times, people have used cryptography to transmit information in a secure manner. Following is the fascinating history of cryptography that has led up to the advanced and sophisticated methods used for modern digital encryption.
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What Is Axie Infinity (AXS)?

What Is Axie Infinity (AXS)?
It’s 2021, and that means you can earn money by playing games and breeding virtual pets. An easy way to think of Axie Infinity is to imagine a blockchain game that combines Pokémon, CryptoKitties, and card game elements.
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Is Bitcoin a Store of Value?

When you think of a safe-haven asset, precious metals like gold or silver probably come to mind. They’re investments that individuals flock to as hedges against turmoil in traditional markets. The debate over whether Bitcoin follows in the footsteps of these assets rages on. In this article, we’ll look at some of the main arguments for and against Bitcoin being a store of value.
When you think of a safe-haven asset, precious metals like gold or silver probably come to mind. They’re investments that individuals flock to as hedges against turmoil in traditional markets. The debate over whether Bitcoin follows in the footsteps of these assets rages on. In this article, we’ll look at some of the main arguments for and against Bitcoin being a store of value.
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