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It's the 18th anniversary of the Bitcoin whitepaper. Today marks the historic date on which its pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto published the blueprint for the first digital cash.
On Oct. 31, 2008, a nine-page white paper called "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" was published, laying out a radical vision for transferring value electronically without the need for conventional financial intermediaries.
Bitcoin supporters, exchanges, and the rest of the crypto community are filling social media platform X with celebratory wishes on the 18th anniversary of Bitcoin's unveiling to the world.
Bitcoin proponent and Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor wrote on X: "Happy Bitcoin white paper day. 18 years."
One of the most salient features of the whitepaper is the fixed supply of Bitcoin at 21 million coins. The pre-determined issuance structure is what makes Bitcoin different from traditional monetary systems, where central authorities can inflate the money supply.
Major U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase highlighted this fact in its X post: "21,000,000. Never more. Happy Bitcoin Whitepaper Day."
"Today marks 18 years since the release of the Bitcoin Whitepaper. A day that changed everything," Coinbase continued.
Stablecoin issuer Tether wrote: "On 31 October 2008, Satoshi published nine pages that explained Bitcoin to the world. Today we're explaining it to everyone else. Two pizzas, 10,000 BTC, 21 million coins, and one key you never share. Everything you need to know, in a comic. Happy 18th birthday, Bitcoin whitepaper."
Crypto platform Uphold wrote: "Nine pages that challenged the entire legacy financial system. Happy Bitcoin Whitepaper Day."
Bitcoin now $1.55 trillion asset
The Bitcoin whitepaper laid the groundwork for the network's launch in January 2009, when Satoshi Nakamoto mined Bitcoin's genesis block and introduced the first units of the cryptocurrency.
When Bitcoin launched on January 3, 2009, it had no market value or official exchange price. Over the years, Bitcoin has evolved from a niche technological experiment into a globally recognized digital asset. Its emergence has influenced the development of thousands of cryptocurrencies, blockchain applications, and decentralized financial systems.
The cryptocurrency now trades at $77,310 and is worth $1.55 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap data.