648K-BITS ABOUT BITCOIN

Abstract

This paper explores the recent development of digital currencies—currencies which are creatures of the Internet, self-authenticating, and usable worldwide by members of the general public to engage in the same types of direct, one-to-one transactions that daily occur using government-issued currencies. At present, the most developed digital currency measured by market capitalization is Bitcoin, which will be used as a proxy for the general phenomenon. Not surprisingly, as Bitcoin’s circulation and visibility has increased, so have the number of practical and legal issues surrounding its use. Some of these will be explored in this paper, with a view to considering the utility and viability of such currencies for widespread, global use.