Post #3722

Bitcoin turns 17! Launched on January 3, 2009, it marks its birth with the mining of the "genesis block," the inaugural set of transactions in the blockchain. The anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, embedded a hidden message in this initial block—a headline from The Times: "Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks." This reference underscored Bitcoin's role as an alternative to traditional finance, where taxpayers bail out banks. The genesis block reward was 50 bitcoins—initially worthless without an exchange rate. Fast forward, Bitcoin now trades at $90,000, ranking among the world's top eight assets, trailing only behind gold, silver, and leading tech stocks.