You ask me what is Bitcoin:
Think of Bitcoin as digital money that you can send directly to another person over the internet without needing a bank or a payment company in the middle. It was the very first cryptocurrency and was created in 2009 by an anonymous figure known as Satoshi Nakamoto.
The Digital Ledger: Blockchain
The core technology that makes Bitcoin work is called the Blockchain. You can imagine the blockchain as a giant, public, digital receipt book that is shared among thousands of computers around the world.
Blockchain System
Public Record: Every single Bitcoin transaction is recorded in this digital receipt book.
Secure and Permanent: Once a transaction is added, it's secured using cryptography and becomes a permanent part of the record. It is practically impossible to change or delete it.
Decentralised: Because this receipt book isn't stored in one place, no single person, company, or government controls it. This is what people mean when they say Bitcoin is "decentralised.
How Transactions Work
Sending and receiving Bitcoin is a bit like sending an email. To use it, you need a digital wallet. (e.g. MetaMask, Rabby, Coinbase, etc.)
Public Key: Your wallet gives you a public address (or "public key"), which acts like your email address. You can share this with anyone to receive Bitcoin.
Private Key: Your wallet also has a "private key," which is like your password. This key proves you own your Bitcoin and is used to authorise transactions you send. It is crucial to keep this private key completely secret.
When you send Bitcoin, you are essentially broadcasting the transaction to the network, and the computers on the network (often called "miners") work to verify it and add it to the public receipt book, the blockchain.
Takeaways
It's Digital Cash: Bitcoin is money that exists only on the internet.
No Middleman: It allows you to send funds directly to someone else without a bank's approval.
It's Secured by a Public Ledger: All transactions are permanently and publicly recorded on the blockchain, making it transparent and secure.
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