Bitcoin, the world's foremost cryptocurrency, recently marked the 15th anniversary of its groundbreaking whitepaper. 

Released on Oct. 31, 2008, this seminal document laid the foundation for the decentralized digital currency that would soon take the financial world by storm.

How it all started 

Penned under the pseudonym "Satoshi Nakamoto", the Bitcoin whitepaper is titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System". 

It spans just nine pages but has revolutionized the way many people view and handle money. In its concise outline, Nakamoto detailed how digital signatures could be combined with a proof-of-work system to prevent double-spending, a long-standing issue with digital currencies before Bitcoin. 

Interestingly, the term we so commonly associate with Bitcoin, "cryptocurrency," is conspicuously absent from the whitepaper. Instead, Nakamoto chose to emphasize its characteristics as "digital cash" or an "electronic cash system."

Additionally, Nakamoto's writing noticeably omits any direct mention of the word "blockchain," even though the concept is described in detail.

Over the years, this whitepaper has been translated into dozens of languages, a fact that underscores its global impact.

The paper's references and citations offer a rare glimpse into Nakamoto's influences, including works by Hal Finney and Wei Dai.

The identity of Satoshi remains a mystery 

Nakamoto is universally credited with the creation of Bitcoin, but he or she never actually copyrighted the whitepaper. This hands-off approach ensured that the revolutionary concept truly belonged to the public domain

The identity of the whitepaper's creator remains one of the tech world's most tantalizing mysteries. Despite numerous theories and claimed "unmaskings" over the years, the true identity (or identities) behind the Nakamoto pseudonym is still unknown.

This enigma adds to the lore of Bitcoin, with many in the community valuing the privacy represents.

About the author

Alex Dovbnya (aka AlexMorris) is a cryptocurrency expert, trader and journalist with extensive experience of covering everything related to the burgeoning industry — from price analysis to Blockchain disruption. Alex authored more than 1,000 stories for U.Today, CryptoComes and other fintech media outlets. He’s particularly interested in regulatory trends around the globe that are shaping the future of digital assets, can be contacted at [email protected].