Template:MainPage FAQ

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Revision as of 21:02, 19 December 2010 by Genjix (talk | contribs) (fixed excessive wordiness)
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Q. What is Bitcoin?

A. Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer currency. Peer-to-peer means that no central authority issues new money or tracks transactions. These tasks are managed collectively by the network.

Q. How does Bitcoin work?

A. Bitcoin utilises public/private key signatures. A coin contains the owner's public key. When a coin is transferred from user A to user B, A adds B’s public key to the coin. The coin is signed using his private key. B now owns the coin and can transfer it further. A is prevented from transferring the already spent coin to other users because a public list of all previous transactions is collectively maintained by the network. Before each transaction the coin’s validity will be checked.