Bitcoin is the first decentralized digital currency, based on blockchain technology. Here is the fascinating story of the first Bitcoin transaction, which took place 15 years ago: January 12, 2009.
The protagonists: Satoshi Nakamoto and Hal Finney
There first Bitcoin transaction was made between two people: Satoshi Nakamoto and Hal Finney. Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym of the creator or creators of Bitcoin, whose identity remains a mystery. Hal Finney was a computer scientist and crypto activist. He was the first to receive bitcoins (BTC) from Satoshi Nakamoto.
Satoshi Nakamoto published the Bitcoin white paper in October 2008, in which he presented the concept and operation of the Bitcoin network. He then launched Bitcoin software on January 3, 2009, creating the first block on the Bitcoin blockchain, called “the Genesis block.”
Hal Finney was one of the first to download Bitcoin software and connect to the network. He reported bugs and possible improvements to Satoshi Nakamoto by communicating with him by email.
Bitcoin transaction: 10 BTC to test the network
On January 12, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto sent 10 BTC to Hal Finney via Bitcoin software. This was the first peer-to-peer Bitcoin transaction in history, recorded in block 170 of the Bitcoin blockchain. At the time, Bitcoin did not yet have a market value. Today, 10 BTC would be equivalent to around 400,000 euros.
There transaction was in fact carried out to test the functioning of the Bitcoin network, which was still experimental and little known. Hal Finney confirmed receiving the bitcoins (BTC) on an online forum, writing: “Running bitcoin.” He then kept his Bitcoin holdings in his portfolio until his death in 2014.
The first Bitcoin transaction marked the start of a new crypto era. And 15 years to the day, the first Bitcoin ETF is trading on Wall Street!
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