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Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a decentralized online payment system and the name of a digital currency. Payments by Bitcoin are encrypted. It is possible to send and receive Bitcoin without giving any personally identifying information.

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All Content on this topic

A file photo of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi

India: PM Modi's Twitter hacked with link to Bitcoin scam

Narendra Modi's personal Twitter account was targeted by hackers who tweeted a link promising a Bitcoin giveaway.
TechnologyDecember 12, 2021
Bitcoin Münze

Bitcoin the power guzzler

Bitcoin is anything but green. The cryptocurrency emits more carbon dioxide than Denmark!
LifestyleNovember 27, 202101:35 min
DW Shift Sendungslogo

Shift - Living in the Digital Age

We're constantly online to chat, surf or stream content. How sustainable are our digital lifestyles?
LifestyleNovember 27, 202112:31 min
DW Business Asia Sendungslogo

DW Business – Europe & Asia

Christmas Crisis - Sinking Lira - Bitcoin City
BusinessNovember 24, 202113:06 min
El Salvador Bitcoin Beach El Zonte

El Salvador: Bitcoin 'attracting investment'

El Salvador's policy to legalize Bitcoin as legal tender is working surprisingly well.
BusinessNovember 24, 202103:45 min
India considers ban on cryptocurrency

India announces bill to ban private cryptocurrencies

India may ban the use of most cryptocurrencies if the bill to "regulate" virtual money is cleared by parliament.
TechnologyNovember 24, 2021
A police officer and soldier tape off a crime scene in El Salvador

El Salvador: President deploys troops after murder spike

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said "dark forces" are behind a rise in homicides in the capital, San Salvador.
CrimeNovember 12, 2021
People march during a protest against President Nayib Bukele in San Salvador

El Salvador: Thousands march against Bukele

Demonstrators in the capital San Salvador took to the streets against what they say is increasing authoritarianism.
PoliticsOctober 18, 2021
El Salvador Einführung Bitcoin

Bitcoin making inroads in El Salvador

Figures show that a quarter of El Salvadorians are signed up for the official Bitcoin digital wallet.
BusinessOctober 8, 202102:00 min
A coin with the Bitcoin cryptocurrency logo is seen with Chinese flag in the background

China bans cryptocurrency transactions

The People's Bank of China has moved to bar all cryptocurrency transactions, making them illegal.
BusinessSeptember 24, 2021
external

Bitcoin is now legal tender in El Salvador

The government says the move will give many residents access to bank services and save millions in fees on remittances.
BusinessSeptember 8, 202102:07 min
People take part in a protest against the use of Bitcoin as legal tender

El Salvador's Bitcoin adoption met with suspicion

As El Salvador becomes the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender, the public remains skeptical.
BusinessSeptember 8, 2021
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What are central bank digital currencies?

Central banks around the world are racing to create their own forms of digital money.
BusinessAugust 9, 202115:21 min
The Bitcoin symbol, surrounded by other coins

Is Bitcoin mining bad for the environment?

The US has pledged to invest billions in clean energy. But such efforts are being undermined — by Bitcoin mining.
BusinessJuly 29, 202102:52 min
MADE Light Design

Innovation - Recipe for success?

Cornering a niche market can yield huge profits. But success isn't guaranteed.
BusinessJuly 27, 202126:00 min
A representational image showing a hacker pointing at a glowing Bitcoin sign

Why do hackers rely on Bitcoin?

The cryptocurrency is traceable. Nevertheless, it is a currency of choice for cybercriminals. How does that square up?
BusinessJuly 9, 2021
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Cryptos help Argentinians beat inflation

Mining Bitcoins is an enticing prospect in a country like Argentina whose national currency is depreciating fast.
BusinessJuly 1, 202102:27 min
A person holds a representation of a bitcoin in their hand

El Salvador adopts Bitcoin

El Salvador is soon to become the first country in the world to adopt the cryptocurreny bitcoin as legal tender. Rohan Grey, vice-chair of the Digital Currency Global Initiative, tells Phil Gayle on The Day that the decision by El Salvador is a "solution in search of a problem."
June 26, 202105:02 min
A bitcoin against the backdrop of the Chinese flag

Bitcoin's volatility: What you need to know

The price of Bitcoin fell to levels not seen since 2020 after China made several moves to rein in the cryptocurrency.
BusinessJune 23, 2021
Bitcoin in front of Chinese yuan

Bitcoin dips sharply as China broadens ban

Chinese authorities have told all crypto mining to stop working over speculation risk and power consumption concerns.
BusinessJune 21, 2021
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Is it really wise to invest in Bitcoin?

Financial expert Maurice Höfgen looks at the long-term prospects of investment in Bitcoin.
BusinessJune 17, 202104:15 min
A Bitcoin physical coin

World in Progress: Cryptocurrencies

Some tech entrepreneurs think that cryptocurrencies might help people cope better when hyperinflation hits the economy.
TechnologyJune 16, 202109:14 min
Coronavirus vaccine implemented in Congo

World in Progress: Solutions in sight

Global problems often need local solutions. From Congo to Bangladesh and the Maldives, there are solutions in sight.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 16, 202129:59 min
A shopowner in El Salvador holding a phone displaying Bitcoin price changes

El Salvador approves Bitcoin as legal tender

El Salvador has become the first nation to officially adopt a cryptocurrency.
SocietyJune 9, 2021
A picture of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele delivering a press conference in 2021, ahead of parliamentary elections.

Why El Salvador wants to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender

El Salvador plans to recognize Bitcoin as legal tender, becoming the first nation in the world to do so.
BusinessJune 7, 2021
a picture of Bitcoin

El Salvador plans to make Bitcoin legal tender

If the bill is passed, the country will become the first in the world to legally accept the cryptocurrency.
BusinessJune 6, 2021
A bitcoin sits atop a table full of US dollars

Cryptos and fiat currencies — any real difference?

Cryptos began to look like a better store of value than traditional currencies — even gold — until Bitcoin's 44% crash.
BusinessJune 2, 2021
An outside view of the El Corte Ingles department store in Madrid

Spain's cryptofever running hot

Spanish department store El Corte Ingles is the latest to join the bandwagon in a country of booming digital coins.
BusinessMay 20, 2021
Bitcoin

Bitcoin plunges after China issues restrictions

China has warned that virtual currencies are a threat to the financial system and hit out at investor "speculation."
BusinessMay 19, 2021
Ashutosh Pandey

Elon Musk is a liability for Bitcoin

Ashutosh Pandey
The Tesla CEO's withdrawal on Bitcoin investors is undermining the cryptocurrency's efforts to go mainstream.
BusinessMay 14, 2021
Tesla and Bitcoin

Tesla drops Bitcoin amid climate concerns

The price of Bitcoin took a tumble after Elon Musk said Tesla would not be accepting Bitcoin as a payment method.
BusinessMay 13, 2021
A golden coin bearing the Dogecoin logo, along with other golden coins with the bitcoin logo

Dogecoin: The world's most valuable joke

The value of the surging cryptocurrency, based on a meme, has fallen by a third thanks to … well, a joke.
BusinessMay 11, 2021
A rendering of what a Dogecoin could look like

Sustainable Bitcoin mining in Scandinavia, for now

Cheap, green energy has brought Bitcoin miners to northern Europe. Now others want a piece of the cheap power.
BusinessMay 6, 2021
A stock photo of two people celebrating and tossing money in the air

Ether hits all-time high

Some believe Ether will eventually unseat Bitcoin as the world's top cryptocurrency.
BusinessMay 4, 2021
DW Made in Germany | Cryptostostory

The life of Coinowners

Bitcoin owners and their lives with crypto — fates decided digitally.
BusinessApril 28, 202104:34 min
Golden coins with the Bitcoin logo

Are cryptocurrencies worth the ride?

Cryptocurrencies have been around for a relatively long time. But how do they work exactly?
BusinessApril 27, 202104:34 min
DW Made in Germany | Bitcoin

What is Bitcoin's value?

Bitcoin is not money — Bitcoin is a belief. New currency or a gigantic speculative bubble?
BusinessApril 27, 202106:10 min
Winter Daniel Kommentarbild App

Don't let the Coinbase listing fool you

Daniel Winter
DW's Daniel Winter warns Coinbase's market listing doesn't mean that cryptocurrencies are now really for the mainstream.
BusinessApril 16, 2021
Coinbase log

Coinbase makes stock market debut

The digital currency boom has boosted the Coinbase trading platform. On Wednesday it makes its debut on Nasdaq.
BusinessApril 14, 2021
The Coinbase Pro application

Coinbase to be listed on Nasdaq in cryptocurrency milestone

The biggest US virtual currency exchange will be listed, following record Bitcoin highs.
BusinessApril 14, 2021
A picture showing the three ways to acquire Bitcoin — in exchange for normal fiat currency like euros or dollars, secondly through accepting it for payments, and finally, through Bitcoin mining

Bitcoin explained: How it works and what it is good for

Whether or not Bitcoin is a good asset to invest in is an open question. But DW can help you understand how it works.
BusinessMarch 3, 202111 images
A bitcoin lays atop a pile of US coins

What history reveals about the future of Bitcoin

DW considers financial history to see what the future might hold for Bitcoin.
BusinessFebruary 24, 2021
Bitcoin golden physical coin illustration on United States Dollar banknotes

Bitcoin surges past $50,000 for first time

The cryptocurrency's value surged by nearly 75% since the start of this year as more companies have lent their support.
BusinessFebruary 16, 2021
An artist's rendition of what a Bitcoin could look like if it were made of metal

The power needed to run Bitcoin

How can running a cryptocurrency keep power plants around the world busy? DW's Timothy Rooks looks into the numbers.
BusinessFebruary 16, 2021
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Nigeria cracks down on cryptocurrencies

The Central Bank of Nigeria has banned the sale of cryptocurrency.
BusinessFebruary 15, 202102:31 min
A coin depicting the Bitcoin logo

Nigeria's crypto crackdown causes confusion

The decision's triggered anger and confusion among Nigerians who see cryptos as a safe haven in a battered economy.
PoliticsFebruary 12, 2021
Kristie Pladson

Opinion: No one is going to spend Bitcoin on a Tesla

Kristie Pladson
Tesla's Bitcoin buy-in reveals why the digital coin will struggle to become a real currency, says DW's Kristie Pladson.
BusinessFebruary 9, 2021
Tesla logo

Bitcoin peaks after $1.5 billion Tesla buy-in

Bitcoin has broken another price record, jumping nearly 15% after Tesla announced a major investment.
BusinessFebruary 8, 2021
Elon Musk | CEO | SpaceX und Tesla

Tweets from Musk send price of Dogecoin soaring

Prices of Dogecoin rose by 50% less than 24 hours after world's richest man tweeted a meme about the cryptocurrency.
Digital WorldFebruary 4, 2021
A Bitcoin coin

Will Bitcoin become 'millennial gold'?

Millennial interest in Bitcoin could make the cryptocurrency the gold of the future, analysts have said.
BusinessJanuary 8, 2021