Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that debuted in January 2009. It is based on ideas offered by Satoshi Nakamoto, a mysterious and pseudonymous figure, on a white paper. It aims to lower transaction fees compared to other online payment systems and, unlike centralized government-issued currencies, is managed by a decentralized authority.
The two important questions now would be: how does Bitcoin work and how to get Bitcoin? Let’s find out!
Connecting your Bitcoin Blockchain Address to ZenLedger For Your Crypto Tax Forms
- To import your Bitcoin Blockchain transactions into ZenLedger for your crypto tax forms, all we need is your public address.
- Select the proper blockchain or wallet from the dropdown list.
- Paste your address into the address field in ZenLedger.
- Select if the wallet is based in the USA or not.
- Then hit ADD COIN button
How Does Bitcoin Work?
Blockchain
A blockchain is composed of a single chain of discrete pieces of data, that can be used to construct any type of contract between two parties as long as both parties agree to it.
This eliminates the requirement for a third party to be engaged in any transaction, opening up a world of possibilities for the Internet of Things. This includes peer-to-peer financial products like decentralized savings, loans, and checking accounts, where banks or any centralized intermediary are irrelevant.
Bitcoin
Each Bitcoin is a computer file that is stored on a smartphone or computer in a digital crypto wallet program. Bitcoins can be sent to your digital wallet, and you can send Bitcoins to others.
Every Bitcoin transaction is recorded in the blockchain, which is a public ledger, emphasizing the major distinction between this technology and a well-maintained Word document. The Bitcoin blockchain is distributed, which means it is open to the public. It can be imported as a whole or decoded on any of a number of websites. This implies that the record is public, but it also suggests that changing the blockchain ledger is virtually impossible.
The lack of central authority helps to keep track of all Bitcoin transactions, and participants must create and validate “blocks” of transaction data themselves.
How To Get Bitcoin?
There are three basic methods for obtaining Bitcoins:
- Purchased with fiat currency on a crypto exchange
- Sell items and accept Bitcoins as payment
- Mine Bitcoin and get rewarded with BTC
Purchasing Bitcoin
To buy bitcoin, you must go through four steps: choose a venue or exchange to place your order, choose a payment method, and ensure safe storage of your money.
There may be extra phases in the procedure depending on the type of venue selected in the initial step. If you buy bitcoin through Robinhood, for example, you may need to factor in additional charges for an online wallet and bitcoin custody because Robinhood does not provide these services.
Accepting Bitcoin As Payment
Payments made with cryptocurrency are regarded to be more secure than those made with credit or debit cards. This is due to the fact that cryptocurrencies do not require third-party validation. The irreversibility of cryptocurrencies also aids business owners in better managing their financial flow.
Mining Bitcoin
Bitcoin mining is a high-energy process using specialized mining devices competing to solve mathematical riddles. Bitcoin is awarded to the miner who solves the challenge first. The bitcoin-mining process also verifies and trusts transactions on the cryptocurrency’s network.
The Bottom Line
To summarize, Bitcoin is a digital currency and payment network that is made up of a set of protocols and operations. The blockchain, which is made up of a series of digital blocks linked together as a list and keeps track of all transactions in its network, is Bitcoin’s most important component.
Bitcoin can work as a decentralized system without the need for a neutral central organization to confirm and process transactions thanks to the use of a blockchain.