CRYPTO
Cryptocurrency is value expressed in a cryptocurrency, also known as "cryptocurrency."
This is a digital currency often used as an alternative to traditional monetary systems.
The most well-known cryptocurrency in the world is bitcoin.
However, the question of whether cryptocurrencies can truly be considered money remains a matter of debate.
In the Netherlands, for example, bitcoin has the legal status of a medium of exchange, but it is not recognized as official money.
In Belgium and Europe, investments are tax-free as long as they fall under normal private asset management.
For speculative or professional trading, such as day trading, capital gains tax and even VAT may apply.
Europe is introducing stricter regulations through MiCA, and regulators like the FSMA are warning of risks.
However, even traditional savings are not risk-free.
Meanwhile, the crypto market remains large, with a value of approximately $1,500 to $2,000 billion.
The most famous cryptocurrency is undoubtedly Bitcoin (BTC), based on the SHA-256 algorithm and launched in 2009 by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto.
On September 1, 2021, Bitcoin's total market value was estimated at a staggering $890 billion. It is a fully decentralized digital currency that uses the SHA-256 proof-of-work mechanism.
Satoshi Nakamoto, whose identity remains unknown, could be an individual or a group of individuals. This entity not only designed Bitcoin but also created the very first blockchain database.
Nakamoto succeeded in solving the so-called double-spending problem, making it possible to use electronic money without a central authority. Until December 2010, Nakamoto was actively involved in Bitcoin's further development.
Possible Identity
Several individuals have claimed or are suspected of hiding behind the name Satoshi.
Craig Wright
One of the most controversial individuals claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto is Australian Craig Steven Wright.
To date, however, Wright has not been able to convincingly prove that he is actually the inventor of Bitcoin.
For this reason, his claim is often considered a potential hoax.
This has earned him the nickname "Faketoshi" in the crypto community.
Wright graduated from Padua College in Brisbane in 1987.
He later worked as an adjunct academic and researcher at Charles Sturt University, where he completed his dissertation, "The Quantification of Information Systems Risk."
In February 2017, the university awarded him his doctorate.
Wright also claims to have earned a doctorate in theology, comparative religious studies, and classical studies from United Theological College in 2003.
He has also written or co-written several books.
Furthermore, Wright is known as a trustee of the Uniting Church of New South Wales.
Bernard Madoff
According to Vladislav Ginko, a Russian economist with close ties to the government, Bernard Madoff might be the real Satoshi, Ginko claims that Madoff was put behind bars by the Obama administration.
Bernard Madoff was born to a Jewish family in Queens, a borough of New York City.
Although he attended several universities, he ultimately earned only a degree in political science from Hofstra University, In 1960, at the age of just 22, he founded his first securities firm with $5,000 in seed capital.
Madoff was highly respected on Wall Street. He was a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, a trade association for stockbrokers.
He was also a pioneer in electronic trading and played a key role in the founding of the NASDAQ.
He died at the age of 82 at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Butner, North Carolina. At the time of his death, he was serving a 150-year prison sentence for the largest Ponzi scheme in history.
Vincent van Volkmer
German painter and mathematician Vincent van Volkmer was once accused of being the inventor of Bitcoin.
This speculation arose after the circulation of a screenshot of Satoshi Nakamoto's hacked email account.
The image showed Volkmer sending a message to Nakamoto's email address with the subject line: "The bee is free."
However, Volkmer emphatically denied the rumors on his website.
He stated that he had never sent an email with that title to Satoshi and claimed that the screenshot was faked.
Vincent van Volkmer is a multifaceted talent: an American artist, mathematician, cryptologist, beekeeper, and bonsai tree master.
He studied art at the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts under Professor Otto Pankok and is considered one of the representatives of minimalism.
You can admire his artwork on this website. https://www.vincentvanvolkmer.com