What is Bitcoin? BTCBitcoin is a “digital currency” invented in 2008 by a cryptographic expert who went by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, and is absolutely brilliant it in its design. It exists only in computers, minted at a regular rate by a network of machines around the world (you can too), and its value isn't regulated by any government.
If you don't know why some intelligent folks are excited about the Bitcoin concept, you should take the time to understand. Bitcoin is a new form of currency that is accepted worldwide and can never be debased by politicians trying to get re-elected or countries trying to pay off huge debts. In a world in which the value of paper money is constantly ravaged by inflation, that's a very attractive attribute. Also, the world is very much ready for a "global" currency. Bitcoin satisfies that need.
Bitcoins are like cash in that they aren't tied to your identity, and transactions made with Bitcoins are irreversible and untraceable. But they're like credits in a manner that they aren't physical. Bitcoins are a peer to peer system. Bitcoin allows me to transfer currency to you online, for free.
Is it secure? Can Bitcoin be hacked?The Bitcoin algorithm was presented as a scientific paper and peer reviewed like any other scientific paper, the paper was widely accepted and is the sole fundamental of Bitcoin. The algorithm of Bitcoin has been designed so that it is resistant to quantum computers which have not been built as of yet.
What is Bitcoin backed by?Lets look at our national currency, Indian Rupee is backed by gold. All currencies are backed by gold or similar assets. Lets look at gold.
What is gold backed by? What decides the value of gold? Demand and supply.
What decides the value of Bitcoin? Demand and Supply. Like gold the amount of Bitcoins is limited, only 21 million Bitcoins will be ever produced.
The value of Bitcoin can be equated to how the value of gold is estimated.
So the "fundamental" value of Bitcoin can only be estimated the same way the fundamental value of, gold can be estimated — which is guessing at what someone will be willing to pay for it at some time in the future. The whole premise of Bitcoin is that only a finite amount of it will ever be created. This is in stark contrast to standard currencies, the supply of which is continually increased.
What causes the price of Bitcoin to fluctuate?Bitcoin is in its infancy, a free market currency whose price or value is determined by the demand and supply. A multitude of factors could in theory affect Bitcoin prices, nobody in the current scenario can conclude that only a few factors affect Bitcoin, I will try to explain only “a few” that have had a considerable impact on Bitcoin prices recently, many more may be yet to be known.
Like gold prices that fluctuate due to a variety of factors, some of the factors which have been observed till date are listed below:
Media ExposureThe initial growth of the Bitcoin ecosystem and prices was attributed to media articles, familiarizing it to more people. The world’s supply of Bitcoins is essentially fixed, but because people in the media keep talking about it, demand keeps rising. This leads to higher prices—and as prices go up, people who currently hold Bitcoins develop greater and greater expectations for the currency. Today, the excitement around Bitcoin is still confined to a tiny segment of the population — technology aficionados, monetary idealists and speculators. The potential for exposure is large.
Eurozone CrisisA direct correlation between the Cypress bailout and Bitcoin price was observed. Some of the investors in Europe moved their investments into Bitcoin around the time of the Cypress bailout. This resulted in a huge cash flow into the Bitcoin ecosystem.
HoardingDemand crisis: Like any currency, Bitcoin is traded on exchanges, Bitcoin holders hoard their stash, which further reduces supply, which in turn boosts the price and sparks yet more media attention—and the cycle continues till profit selling takes place like in any currency.
Fear of Govt interventionThere is nothing illegal about Bitcoin . Cash is as anonymous and not tied to identity. But could government grow increasingly interested in defending its paper-money monopoly? We've already seen hints of this. But because the market is already huge and global ,there will be growing attempts to control it, tax it and regulate it.
Trading Exchange outagesTrading exchanges like MTgox which handles almost 70% of trade have seen trading halted due to DDos's, but such events are seen to be temporary and the a price fall due to a DDos is usually recovered when trading resumes to normal levels, leaving only a temporary effect. Smaller exchanges have been hacked due to insecure design of the sites . The interim crashes could be sharp and scary. The Bitcoin algorithm, system and framework itself is preternaturally sound. As with any new creation, there are glitches and vulnerabilities that still need to be worked out in trading exchanges.
Vendor acceptanceBitcoins remain very much a niche payment method. In accepting the currency there is a small circle of large Internet companies’ participating in the system. Others include WordPress, which will sell you everything from Web hosting to CSS packages in exchange for Bitcoins. WikiLeaks and 4chan are part of a growing list of online organizations that accept Bitcoin donations. As vendor acceptance improves the value of Bitcoin as a currency improves.
Free market currencyBeing in its infancy, Bitcoin will see wild price swings till it becomes established as a currency. The market is still in a price discovery stage and is expected to stabilize at a certain point, where its value and place as currency is usable in daily life.
Where are Bitcoins stored? And what is a Bitcoin address?Bitcoins can be stored on your computer using a wallet software (equivalent to the wallet in your personal pocket) which is open source and can be downloaded, or in an online wallet. Both methods provide you with an address which you use similar to a paypal address. Send the address to people from who want you to receive Bitcoin from. You can mine Bitcoin or buy them from trading exchanges. To store them you can use Software, Mobile or Web wallets.
Download a wallet:
http://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-walletWhere can I use these Bitcoins?So what can you actually buy with Bitcoins? It turns out that once enough different companies accept Bitcoins that you could use them to buy almost everything you might need. Want to buy clothing, homemade cosmetics or train tickets? Bitcoins can do all that, and more.
More than a 100 small organizations have started accepting Bitcoins. It is expected that it is just a matter of time before real world adoption increases. E commerce websites are expected to join suite. Sadly no Indian shopping websites have started accepting Bitcoin yet, and may take a long time.
Here is a small list of known Top 20 Bitcoin accepting organizations:
1 Wordpress
2 Pirate Bay
3 Reddit
4 Internet Archive
5 4chan
6 eztv.it
7 Lumfile
8 Filecloud
9 Torrent Leech
10 LewRockwell
11 OKPay
12 Slysoft
13 LAIMC
14 WrapBootstrap
15 Tor Project
16 What.CD
17 Erowid
18 Wikileaks
19 MtGox
20 GoldMoney
Indian sites:
http://buysellbitcoin.comhttp://indiabitcoin.comhttps://rbitco.inhttp://http://www.bitocean.inSource:
https://en.Bitcoin.it/wiki/Bitcoin_LadderThe official list of Bitcoin accepting organizations can be found below:
https://en.Bitcoin.it/wiki/Tradehttps://en.Bitcoin.it/wiki/Business_and_organizations_that_%22also_accept_Bitcoin%22,_but_do_not_revolve_around_BitcoinWhat is the real advantage and use of buying Bitcoins?Strengths:Non-discriminating: Single Global currency
Increasing popularity.
Can be exchanged with conventional currencies.
Secured by intractable cryptography.
Limited number of coins to be produced (cap at 21 million), no inflation.
For Bitcoin, no third party is required as a clearing house like banks, unlike when dealing with conventional currency.: No exchange commissions or taxes.
Opportunities:To replace global currencies or take a portion of the market.
Become a relevant currency for global online trade.
Role of Bitcoin in daily life?Fiat paper currencies are a relic of a past age. It has proven to be a spectacular failure, giving rise to inflations and unending booms and busts. As technology progresses, markets look for an alternative. A single global digital currency is certainly in our future. Bitcoin is just the most successful example of that so far.
Bitcoin can be easily used for international transfers without paying commissions to third parts like banks and cutting down transaction times for bank wires from days to hours for a Bitcoin transaction. Bitcointalk.org has an Indian community where you can find Indians using Bitcoins in transactions. Bitcoin can be used as a currency for Investment or Trading in India till vendor acceptance reaches critical levels to take off. Being an early adopter has advantages. Simply put, since 2009 there has been no asset class on the planet which has increased in value more than Bitcoin. As entrepreneurs and investors, that makes Bitcoin extremely relevant. As an entrepreneur Bitcoins can help you reach out to an international clientele, its single window payment allows customer reach to any country without the hassles of international wire transfers.
Final thoughtsIt is always prudent on your part to view Bitcoins objectively and arrive at its value in your life. In my view, Bitcoin is the Internet, applied to Money. We need to remember that Bitcoin is not a stock, a company, or even a regular commodity. It is a technology. That technology is a payment system that is evolving into a real currency. Right now, its most spectacular use is in transferring funds from one person to another. It’s as easy as sending a text message on a phone. We live in a digital age. We need a digital currency.
Additional Info:
For the academically inclined:
http://codinginmysleep.com/khan-academy-bitcoin-videos/