Exactly 17 years ago, on January 3, 2009, the genesis block was created and the Bitcoin blockchain network was launched (2 photos)

The network's creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, received the first $50 BTC and left a hidden message in the block hash—a headline from The Times newspaper: "Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks."





The reason for this particular text is unknown. Some see it as a hint at Satoshi's British origins, while others see it as a direct criticism of the modern banking system and the policy of "rescuing" banks at the expense of the public.

Seventeen years later, Satoshi owns approximately 1 million bitcoins, but he has never touched his wallets, and the identity of the cryptocurrency's creator remains undisclosed. Bitcoin has passed into the hands of the community, and since then, it has been developing as a completely decentralized monetary system, independent of governments and corporations.

Interesting fact: since its market launch, BTC has grown by 8.6 billion percent.