Bitcoin is a digital currency, which has been in the news lately because it has appreciated in value by more than 1,200% since 2016. It’s also become popular because of its decentralized and unregulated nature – no bank or government controls how Bitcoins are created or used.
Bitcoin is accepted as payment for products and services around the world, including Microsoft and Expedia. But there are risks involved with investing in bitcoin: bitcoins can be stolen from your computer; bitcoins’ value could change quickly; governments may limit or ban bitcoin transactions; and due to its unregulated nature, you might not get any help if something goes wrong. Fortunately, this article will teach you everything you need to know about Bitcoin trading so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to invest in this cryptocurrency.
1) What Is Bitcoin?
First, let’s start with the basics: what is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is a digital currency that exists entirely online. You can’t hold a bitcoin in your hand like you can a dollar bill – bitcoins are stored in special digital wallets, which you access with a unique key. These wallets are made by Bitcoin’s developers, and you can make exchanges with crypto exchange Binance and Bitcoin wallet. You can send bitcoins to someone using your Bitcoin address or key, and you receive bitcoins at that address or key. It differs from traditional currencies where the government prints all the money – there is no central authority for Bitcoins.
2) How Does Bitcoin Work?
Bitcoins are completely virtual coins designed to be ‘self-contained’ for their value, with no need for banks to move and store the money. When you own bitcoins, it means you have the keys to unlock the value of the coins – they sit in your digital wallet until you want to exchange them for something else. If users don’t want to use Bitcoin anymore they simply delete their electronic wallet and the Bitcoin is taken out of circulation.
Bitcoins are created by a process called ‘mining’. Miners use powerful computers to solve complex mathematical problems, and when they do, they are rewarded with new bitcoins. As more people mine for bitcoins, the puzzles get harder, so only serious miners can earn new bitcoins.
3) Who Controls Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is decentralized, meaning that it is not under the control of any government or financial institution. This was one of its original selling points – as a currency free from a central authority – but it also means that if something goes wrong with the Bitcoin network, there is no one to help you.
4) What Are Bitcoins Used For?
Bitcoin can be used to purchase goods anonymously, without a middleman, and involving lower or no fees and no banks. It has numerous advantages over traditional currencies: Bitcoin is decentralized, so it cannot be controlled by governments or financial institutions; you can use your bitcoins to buy goods and services online anonymously; transaction fees are minuscule compared with those of credit cards, PayPal, Western Union, etc.; bitcoin transactions cannot be reversed – once you send bitcoins you can’t get them back unless the recipient sends them back to you.
5) How Do I Use Bitcoins?
To use Bitcoin, you need two things: a Bitcoin address for receiving payments and a private key to access the wallet that holds your funds. You receive Bitcoins at your Bitcoin address when someone sends money to that address. To send money to another person, you need their Bitcoin address and the key (password) needed to access your wallet. If you lose both, there is no way to get back your Bitcoins. There are exactly 21 million bitcoins in circulation, and when they are all mined, that will be the end of Bitcoin.
6) How Are Bitcoins Taxed?
In most countries, Bitcoin is not regulated or is lightly regulated – although as with everything, some countries are stricter than others. In the US, for example, the federal government does not regulate Bitcoin, but a few states have begun to apply rules on Bitcoin. In Massachusetts, for example, you must include a buyout agreement in your contract if you accept Bitcoin. In many other countries, Bitcoin is neither illegal nor totally unregulated – although some countries have been known to change their minds about this from time to time.
Bitcoin is a digital currency that allows you to make payments and purchases anonymously, without involving a middleman, and with very low or no fees. It is based on a peer-to-peer network and can be used to buy goods and services online or in person. Like other currencies, Bitcoin is not controlled by any government or financial institution – it is decentralized.
