Satoshi Nakamoto’s Original Bitcoin Whitepaper In Full

So here it is. The genesis code for cryptocurrency. We’re proud to publish Satoshi Nakamoto’s original Bitcoin whitepaper in full.

Still recommended reading for anyone studying how Bitcoin works, Bitcoin: a Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System set the stage for a financial revolution whose repercussions are still reverberating today.

“I’ve been working on a new electronic cash system that’s fully peer-to-peer, with no trusted third party.” Those were the words pseudonymous Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto used to greet the world some 12 years ago in an email releasing the Bitcoin white paper.

Even today, nobody knows who Satoshi is. Since April 23, 2011, nobody has heard from him/her/them after they signed off an email saying, “I’ve moved on to other things. It’s in good hands with Gavin and everyone.”

While the identity of Satoshi remains shrouded in mystery, what’s dazzlingly clear is that his whitepaper is one of the most important in the history of finance, ushering in a revolution in financial access.

For the first time in history, virtually anyone, anywhere with a mobile phone can send money globally without touching the banking system.

The white paper was released under an MIT public license in 2008 for all to learn from, share and enjoy. That access is worth defending, which is why we’re proud to publish the Bitcoin Whitepaper today:

Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System