Bitcoin News

Bitcoin (BTC) was created by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008 as the world's first successful cryptocurrency, solving the double-spending problem that had plagued previous digital cash experiments. Operating on a decentralized proof-of-work blockchain, Bitcoin enables peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries, with its monetary policy enforced through cryptographic consensus rather than central authority.

The Bitcoin network is maintained by miners who secure transactions and earn newly minted bitcoin, while a global ecosystem of traders, institutional investors, developers, and businesses continues expanding its adoption. From El Salvador's legal tender status to corporate treasury adoption by companies like MicroStrategy and Tesla, Bitcoin has evolved from a cryptographic experiment into a recognized store of value and inflation hedge.

At CoinDesk, we deliver breaking Bitcoin news and in-depth analysis covering everything from price movements and institutional adoption to technological developments and regulatory shifts. Our team tracks Bitcoin ETF launches, mining industry changes, Lightning Network growth, and the ongoing debates shaping cryptocurrency's future.

DISCLOSURE: This text was written with the assistance of AI, then reviewed by a person.


Bitcoin News

Finance

P2P Bitcoin Exchange Paxful Back Online After Temporary Suspension

The platform shut down in April after the CEO expressed concerns about the safety of customer funds owing to a lawsuit from its co-founder.

By Helene Braun

Foto de los cofundadores sin fecha. (Paxful)
Videos

Here's Why Bitcoin Blockchain Fees Have Surged to 2-Year Highs

Fees on the Bitcoin blockchain have surged to two-year highs as the ‘Bitcoin Request for Comment’ (BRC-20) tokens and the rising popularity of the Ordinals protocol drives demand for block space. "The Hash" panel discusses what this means for the Bitcoin community. 

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Markets

First Mover Americas: PEPE Peaks After Binance Listing

The latest price moves in crypto markets in context for May 8, 2023.

By Lyllah Ledesma, Omkar Godbole

Pepe the Frog (PepeCoin's Twitter account)

Tech

Block Demand Leads to Fee Spike as Bitcoin-Based Meme Coins Flourish

Over 11,000 tokens have been issued and traded on the Bitcoin network, data shows.

By Shaurya Malwa

(Getty Images)

Policy

Liechtenstein Plans to Accept Bitcoin for Payments to State, Prime Minister Says: Report

Under the plans, any crypto received will immediately be exchanged for Swiss francs, Prime Minister Daniel Risch told German news publication Handelsblatt.

By Sandali Handagama

Liechtenstein Prime Minister Daniel Risch. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Markets

Meme Coin Trading Volume Surges to Two-Year High, Signals Caution for Bitcoin Bulls

Speculative mania in meme coins has historically presaged bearish reversals in bitcoin.

By Omkar Godbole

Volumen semanal de memecoins. (James Tolan/Dune Analytics)

Finance

Binance Resumes Bitcoin Withdrawals After Second Pause, Says It's Adjusting Fees and Integrating Lightning Network

The second pause came less than eight hours after the first.

By Sam Reynolds

Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as "CZ", founder and CEO of Binance, at Davos in 2023. (Casper Labs)

Markets

First Mover Asia: Bitcoin at $28.6K Remains Unstirred by Binance Temporary Withdrawal Pause

PLUS: Bitcoin maximalists find Ordinals annoying. But they are a good thing for the network in the long run.

By Sam Reynolds

A tree reflected in still waters at night. (Pixabay)

Markets

Bitcoin Network Congestion Causes Binance to Pause Withdrawals

The world’s biggest crypto exchange has now resumed withdrawals, but problems continue to linger for the Bitcoin protocol.

By Sam Reynolds

(Danny Nelson/CoinDesk)
Videos

Bitcoin’s Activity Pushes Average Transaction Fee to Nearly 2-Year High

A spike in transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain involving Ethereum-style tokens and non-fungible token (NFT)-like "inscriptions" has driven up congestion on the network, pushing the average fee rate to the highest in nearly two years while showering miners of the cryptocurrency with extra revenue. "The Hash" panel discusses the milestone and its implications for the Bitcoin ecosystem.

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Latest Crypto News

Negative
Bitcoin hits block 961,632 as the controversial BIP-110 soft fork attempt begins
The proposal has scant support from bitcoin miners and influential commentators have also voiced their opposition.
Positive
Hardware wallet sales in Russia more than double as new crypto rules near
Wildberries’ average price for hardware wallets fell 13% to 7,900 rubles, and M.Video broadened its range of products, though neither retailer identified the driving force behind the renewed demand.
Negative
Brazil's central bank orders exchanges to delay large crypto transfers abroad
The rule applies to transfers above $10,000 and smaller transactions flagged as risky by exchanges.
Positive
Trillions in institutional money to flow into bitcoin, says Bitwise's Matt Hougan
The digital asset manager's CIO says large capital pools control up to $200 trillion globally, and just a 1% shift toward bitcoin could unlock massive long-term growth.

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