In this talk I’m going to be discussing the new and exciting world of digital currencies specifically focusing on Bitcoin. Many people may have heard about Bitcoin but don’t fully comprehend what it is or how it works. In this talk I’m going to provide a brief history and introduction to Bitcoin, how it works, how the network operates, and how the supply of currency is controlled by a mathematical algorithm. Following this I will then touch on the subject of the economics of Bitcoin, mainstream services, security, and privacy concerns, and close with a discussion about the future.

I have been following Bitcoin since the original paper was published and I am involved in the development of infrastructure, altcoins (clones of Bitcoin), and I have frequently given workshop-like talks at various conferences.

It is my intention that at the end of this session attendees leave with a better understanding of Bitcoin than when they first walked in the room and a new outlook on the future of money and what it really means to be a currency.