The concept first gained traction in online gaming and social networks.

: In 2008, a pseudonymous developer named Satoshi Nakamoto introduced Bitcoin as a reaction to the global financial crisis. It used blockchain technology to prevent "double spending" without needing a central bank. The Boom and Volatility

: This volatility was driven by forward-looking investors and "shocks" to speculator beliefs, rather than its use as a standard medium of exchange. Real-World Incidents and Legal Struggles