Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that allows electronic transactions in a peer-to-peer system. It is a decentralized form of money that eradicates intermediaries like governments and banks to perform the transactions. The market of bitcoin is highly unpredictable, which means its price fluctuates a lot. In Dec 2018, its price was $3237, and in July 2020, its price rose to $11,000. When it was invented, its price was negligible, but when developers understood the blockchain technology on which the entire bitcoin system is based, its price and popularity reached heights.
Along with an increase in the price of bitcoin, people across the world got interested. Bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency that became the first modern currency in the digital world. It was trending all over the world and especially on the news. A newbie must understand the fact that the bitcoin market is very volatile, and therefore the investments made in it are risky.
Let us move forward and read about bitcoin thoroughly:
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is an asset, also referred to as a cryptocurrency, that was launched in 2009 by an individual or a group of individuals referred to as Satoshi Nakamoto. His main goal was to create a decentralized currency that involves intermediaries like governments or banks. The decentralized currency was much needed in 2008 when there was a bank crisis as per 1gprofitsystem
It is a digital currency that allows peer-to-peer transactions without involving third-parties. The bitcoin network was based on blockchain technology, which serves two main purposes: verifying the bitcoin transactions by solving complex mathematical algorithms and securing the bitcoin network. People trusted blockchain technology because it protects transactions and coins.
Working of Bitcoin:
Bitcoins have no physical appearance, and therefore they are stored in digital wallets known as a bitcoin wallet. Wallets not only store the bitcoins but also allow users to make transactions by providing them high convenience. To understand the working of bitcoin, it is crucial to understand some terms which are as follows:
Public and private keys
A bitcoin wallet consists of three main things that are a public key, a private key, and a bitcoin address. These three things work together to complete a bitcoin transaction. A private Key is a combination of numbers and letters that must be secured properly. If private keys are not stored, these may lead to the loss of all your bitcoins.
Blockchain technology
Bitcoin is an open-source code that is commonly known as the blockchain. The blockchain is a distributed public ledger that stores all transactions. The bitcoins are mined, and this is done by specialized computers that solve a set of transactions that constitute a block. It is further added to the blockchain.
Bitcoin miners
Bitcoin miners are used to verifying bitcoin transactions using specialized computers. Miners compete with each other to solve 1MB of complex mathematical problems in 10 minutes. Miners who solve the problems first are rewarded with bitcoins for their efforts.
Pros and Cons of Buying Bitcoins
Like all other assets, bitcoin also has its own pros and cons. Here, in this article, let us understand the pros and cons of buying or investing in bitcoins:
Private and anonymous transactions
Transactions made with bitcoins are completely anonymous. Users don’t have to add their sensitive personal information in bitcoin wallets. Bitcoin transactions are carried out with bitcoin addresses. No user is required to share their real identity or personal information. The transactions can be made possible by scanning the QR code. The best feature is that bitcoin transactions are private and because no intermediary is involved; therefore, no one can track them.
Hacks or attacks
People often say that the bitcoin network is completely secure because of blockchain technology, but it is not true. Bitcoin wallets that store the coins are highly attracted to hackers and attackers. There have been many reports filed that record theft of many bitcoins.
Volatile market
The bitcoin market is very volatile, and the price keeps on fluctuating. The market is very uncertain, and therefore many people have faced losses. The volatile market is the reason why people hesitate about investing in the bitcoin market. No doubt, some people made profits, but many people have faced losses.
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