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La prima regola è la privacy."],"People before profits":["Le persone prima dei profitti"],"Security through transparency":["Più sicurezza grazie alla trasparenza"],"The best Proton Mail ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } deals":["Le migliori offerte di Proton Mail per il ${ BLACK_FRIDAY }"],"The world’s only community- supported email service":["L'unico servizio di posta elettronica al mondo supportato dalla community"]},"specialoffer:limited":{"${ hours } hour":["${ hours } ora","${ hours } ore"],"${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } and ${ secondsLeft } left":["Restano ${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } e ${ secondsLeft }"],"${ minutes } minute":["${ minutes } minuto","${ minutes } minuti"],"${ seconds } second":["${ seconds } secondo","${ seconds } secondi"],"Limited time offer":["Offerta a tempo limitato"]},"specialoffer:listitem":{"Create multiple addresses":["Crea indirizzi multipli"],"Hide-my-email aliases":["Alias hide-my-email"],"Quickly unsubscribe from newsletters":["Annulla rapidamente l'iscrizione alle newsletter"],"Use your own domain name":["Utilizza il tuo nome di dominio"]},"specialoffer:logos":{"As featured in":["Ne hanno parlato"]},"specialoffer:metadescription":{"Get an encrypted email that protects your privacy":["Scegli un'email cifrata per proteggere la tua privacy"]},"specialoffer:metatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Up to 40% off":["Offerta Black Friday di Proton Mail - sconti fino al 40%"]},"specialoffer:newmetadescription":{"Get up to 40% off Proton Mail subscriptions this Black Friday. Find great deals on our secure end-to-end encrypted email plans.":["Per questo Black Friday ti offriamo fino al 40% di sconto sugli abbonamenti a Proton Mail. Scopri le straordinarie offerte sui piani di abbonamento alla nostra email dotata di crittografia end-to-end."]},"specialoffer:newmetatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday sale | Up to 40% off secure email":["Offerta di Proton Mail per il Black Friday | Fino al 40% di sconto sulla nostra email sicura"]},"specialoffer:note":{"* Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["* Addebito di ${ TOTAL_SUM } per il primo anno"],"*Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["*Addebito di ${ TOTAL_SUM } per i primi 2 anni"],"30-day money-back guarantee":["Garanzia soddisfatti o rimborsati di 30 giorni"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["Addebito di ${ TOTAL_SUM } per i primi 2 anni"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["Addebito di ${ TOTAL_SUM } per il primo anno"],"You save ${ SAVE_SUM }":["Risparmi ${ SAVE_SUM }"]},"specialoffer:off":{"${ PERCENT_OFF } off":["−${ PERCENT_OFF }"]},"specialoffer:testimonial":{"I love my ProtonMail":["Adoro ProtonMail"],"My favorite email service":["Il mio servizio email preferito"],"Thanks Proton for keeping us all safe in the complicated internet universe.":["Grazie Proton perché ci proteggi nell'universo complicato di internet."],"You get what you pay for. In the case of big tech, if you pay nothing, you get used. I quit using Gmail and switched to @ProtonMail":["Ottieni quello per cui hai pagato. Nel caso di big tech, se non paghi niente, vieni usato. Ho smesso di usare Gmail e sono passata a @ProtonMail"]},"specialoffer:time":{"Days":["Giorni"],"Hours":["Ore"],"Min":["Min"]},"specialoffer:title":{"And much more":["E molto altro"],"Make your inbox yours":["Personalizza la tua casella di posta"],"Safe from trackers":["Protezione dai tracker"],"Stay organized":["Mantieni tutto organizzato"],"Black Friday email deals":["Offerte email del Black Friday"],"Don’t just take our word for it":["Non lo diciamo solo noi"],"Our story":["La nostra storia"],"Transfer your data from Google in one click":["Trasferisci i tuoi dati da Google con un solo clic"]},"specialoffer:tooltip":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES }+ countries, connect up to 10 devices, access worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Accedi a contenuti bloccati e naviga in modalità privata. Include oltre ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } server in più di ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } Paesi, possibilità di connettere fino a 10 dispositivi, accesso a servizi di streaming in tutto il mondo, anti-malware, ad-blocker e altro ancora."],"Easily share your calendar with your family, friends or colleagues, and view external calendars.":["Condividi facilmente il tuo calendario con familiari, amici o colleghi e visualizza calendari esterni."],"Includes support for 1 custom email domain, 10 email addresses, 10 hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Include il supporto per 1 dominio email personalizzato, 10 indirizzi email, 10 alias hide-my-email, condivisione del calendario e altro ancora."],"Includes support for 3 custom email domains, 15 email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Include il supporto per 3 domini email personalizzati, 15 indirizzi email, alias hide-my-email illimitati, condivisione del calendario e altro ancora."],"Manage up to 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minuto","${ readingTime } minuti"],"Category":["Categoria","Categorie"],"Didn’t find what you were looking for?":["Non hai trovato quello che cercavi?"],"General contact":["Contatti generali"],"Get help":["Ottieni supporto"],"Legal contact":["Contatti legali"],"Media contact":["Contatti per la stampa"],"Partnerships contact":["Contatti per collaborazioni"],"Reading":["Lettura"]},"Support troubleshooting":{"App version":["Versione dell'app"],"Browser":["Browser"],"Check if this helps":["Verifica se questo ti è utile"],"Choose a product":["Scegli un prodotto"],"Did this solve your issue?":["Ha risolto il tuo problema?"],"Faster assistance is just a few clicks away":["Ottieni assistenza più velocemente con pochi clic"],"How can we help?":["Come possiamo aiutarti?"],"No, contact support":["No, contatta il supporto"],"Please fill out one field after another":["Compila un campo dopo l'altro"],"Please make your selections":["Fai la tua selezione"],"Proton account":["Account Proton"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Thank you for your feedback":["Grazie per il feedback"],"What can we help with?":["In cosa possiamo esserti di aiuto?"],"Yes":["Sì"]},"support_modal_search_query":{"Search query":["Query di ricerca"]},"support_search_button":{"Search":["Cerca"]},"support_search_i_am_looking_for":{"I'm looking for":["Sto cercando"]},"SupportForm":{"For a faster resolution, please report the issue from the Bridge app: Help > Report a problem.":["Per una risoluzione più rapida, segnala il problema dall'app Bridge: Aiuto > Segnala un problema."],"Information":["Informazioni"]},"SupportForm:option":{"Account Security":["Sicurezza dell'account"],"Contacts":["Contatti"],"Custom email domain":["Dominio email personalizzato"],"Email delivery and Spam":["Consegna delle email e spam"],"Encryption":["Crittografia"],"Login and password":["Login e password"],"Merge aliases and accounts":["Unione di alias e account"],"Migrate to Proton":["Migrazione a 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${ thisPage }":["Condividi ${ thisPage }"],"Thank you!":["Grazie"],"this page":["questa pagina"]},"Tooltip":{"More information":["Ulteriori informazioni"]},"tooltip_vpn":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. 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Include oltre ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } server in più di ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } Paesi, VPN ad altissima velocità, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } connessioni VPN, servizi di streaming in tutto il mondo, anti-malware, ad-blocker e altro ancora."]},"wallet_signup_2024:Action":{"Get Proton Wallet":["Ottieni Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage hero product link title":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage product navigation bar":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:menu item":{"Bitcoin guide":["Guida Bitcoin"],"Proton Wallet news":["Novità di Proton Wallet"],"Proton Wallet support":["Supporto di Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Pricing":{"Includes everything in Proton Unlimited and":["Include tutte le funzionalità di Proton Unlimited e"],"Limited availability":["Disponibilità limitata"],"The easiest way to securely own, send, and receive Bitcoin":["Il modo più semplice di possedere, inviare e ricevere Bitcoin in modo sicuro"]},"wallet_signup_2024:ProductRange":{"Discover Proton Wallet":["Scopri Proton Wallet"],"Store and transact Bitcoin privately with an encrypted self-custody wallet.":["Conserva ed esegui transazioni in Bitcoin in modo privato con un portafoglio a custodia autonoma crittografato."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet bitcoin":{"Learn about Bitcoin, the Internet's value network.":["Scopri il Bitcoin, la rete di valore di Internet."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet overview":{"Ensure you're always in control of your Bitcoin.":["Assicurati di avere sempre il controllo dei tuoi Bitcoin."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet security":{"The encrypted, open-source wallet that puts you in control.":["Il portafoglio crittografato e open source che ti dà il controllo."]}}},"base":"blog","cdn":{"enabledForAssets":true,"enabledForImages":false,"url":"https://pmecdn.protonweb.com/"},"unleashApi":"https://account.proton.me/api"};
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Bitcoin is a digital currency (also known as BTC) that operates without a central authority or intermediary to facilitate transactions. Instead, those transactions are verified by distributed nodes on the Bitcoin network and added to a public ledger called a blockchain.
This process and the associated jargon can be intimidating for newcomers. But anyone can use Bitcoin and understand how Bitcoin works. All you need to know are a few key concepts.
This article explains how Bitcoin works in a way that anyone can understand. For more information, check out our Bitcoin guide for new users(nuova finestra). At the end of the article, we’ll share simple steps to get started transacting with BTC.
BTC is created through a process called mining, in which computers solve complex mathematical challenges for the chance to be rewarded with newly minted BTC. BTC is the incentive for carrying out these challenges, which require substantial computational power.
Bitcoin mining explained
Bitcoin mining is not like mining for gold and silver, but it does require an investment of energy and tools. The computational difficulty of extracting value from the Bitcoin network is akin to the effort that makes precious metals scarce and valuable.
Mining relies on a concept called proof of work. Here’s how it works:
When people send BTC to each other, those transactions are grouped together into blocks and broadcast online to the Bitcoin network. Before these blocks can be added to the blockchain (the public ledger of all transactions discussed below), they need to be verified through a computationally intense process called mining.
Miners are typically companies that invest heavily in computers powerful enough to work out the solution to hash functions, which you can learn more about here(nuova finestra). The first miner to solve the problem gets the right to add the block to the blockchain and is rewarded with BTC.
As miners solve the problem one at a time and add more blocks to the chain, the validity of each previous block is confirmed. The updated blockchain is then propagated throughout the Bitcoin network. Because the blockchain exists on many computers around the world, it’s virtually impossible to tamper with the ledger, making transactions highly secure.
The original creators of Bitcoin wanted to ensure new blocks are added to the blockchain roughly every 10 minutes and prevent inflation due to increasing BTC supply. For this reason, the Bitcoin network adjusts the difficulty of the mathematical problems miners must solve. As more miners join the network and computational power increases, the difficulty level also increases.
Bitcoin halving
In addition to increasing the difficulty of mining, the reward for Bitcoin mining is reduced by half every four years. These “halvings” are written into Bitcoin’s code and are another way to prevent inflation and ensure a steady production of BTC.
The most recent Bitcoin halving occurred in April 2024, reducing the reward for mining a block from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC. The next halving is expected to occur in 2028.
Eventually there will be no more BTC to mine: The number of BTC is capped at 21 million. Assuming the rate of halvings continues every four years, the last fractions of BTC will be mined around 2140.
The role of the blockchain
The Bitcoin blockchain is a distributed database or ledger shared among a network of Bitcoin nodes (also known as full nodes, as they contain a full copy of the blockchain). These nodes are generally peer-to-peer, meaning any node can act as a server for the entire network, and they validate and propagate transactions.
A blockchain is the technology that underpins the Bitcoin network, and it keeps track of the flow of BTC among miners and users.
Here are some basic features of the Bitcoin blockchain:
Blocks: A block is a group of transactions that have been verified and added to the blockchain. Each block contains a reference to the previous block, creating a chain of blocks. Blocks are added to the blockchain through the proof of work process described above.
Transactions: Every Bitcoin transaction is recorded on the blockchain and is transparent to all users on the network. Once a transaction has had several block confirmations, it’s considered irreversible.
Transparency: The blockchain is fully transparent, meaning anyone can view the entire history of Bitcoin transactions. This transparency helps ensure trust and security.
Decentralization: The blockchain is decentralized, meaning no single entity controls it. Instead, it’s maintained by the network of full nodes that collectively verify and record transactions.
Why do BTC have value?
The value of BTC is ultimately determined by supply and demand. But why is there demand for Bitcoin in the first place? There are many factors that contribute to the value people assign to Bitcoin:
Bitcoin has the properties of money. It can be used as a store of value and a medium of exchange for goods and services. It has been used as a valid alternative to traditional government-issued currencies, and the nation of El Salvador has adopted Bitcoin as one of its official currencies. As more businesses, financial institutions, and even governments begin to accept and integrate Bitcoin into their operations, the demand for it continues to grow.
There is a low barrier to entry. Unlike traditional finance and banking institutions, Bitcoin is an open, permissionless network. This means anyone can get, hold, and start transacting with BTC. This ease of use has led to wide adoption around the globe, giving BTC a strong network effect, which leads to even more demand, creating a virtuous cycle.
There is a limited supply of BTC. The Bitcoin code restricts the rate at which Bitcoin can be mined and caps the total supply at 21 million. This scarcity contributes to its desirability as a store of value. This unavoidable cap doesn’t exist with fiat currencies, which governments can print at their discretion to cover their debts, leading to high inflation.
How to start using Bitcoin
It’s easier than you might think to start using Bitcoin for investing and transacting.
1. Get a Bitcoin wallet
The first step to owning BTC is to get a Bitcoin wallet. We previously wrote an article explaining Bitcoin wallets(nuova finestra), which are apps that use encryption(nuova finestra) to secure your Bitcoin. We recommend using one that is secure and easy to use. Cryptocurrency exchanges can be risky because you don’t actually own your BTC. And hardware wallets can be complicated for first-time users.
For most people, the cost to mine BTC is prohibitive. But it’s easy to buy BTC from an exchange using fiat currency and then transfer your Bitcoin to your wallet.
To send and receive BTC, all you need to know is a Bitcoin address — an alphanumeric string that identifies specific Bitcoin wallets. When sending BTC, you’ll enter the address of your recipient. When receiving BTC, you’ll need to share your address with the sender.
In Proton Wallet, you can transact BTC using either Bitcoin addresses or email addresses. Our goal is to make sending BTC as easy as sending an email. Learn how to send and receive BTC.(nuova finestra)
With these concepts, you can understand Bitcoin and start using digital currency. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of our wallet app, check out our overview of Proton Wallet security(nuova finestra).
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