all-in-one privacy solution":["Proton Unlimited — комплексное решение для защиты данных"],"Black Friday":["Черная пятница"],"No ads. Privacy by default.":["Без рекламы. Гарантия конфиденциальности"],"People before profits":["Люди важнее прибыли"],"Security through transparency":["Безопасность, основанная на прозрачности"],"The best Proton Mail ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } deals":["${ BLACK_FRIDAY }: лучшие предложения Proton Mail"],"The world’s only community- supported email service":["Единственный в мире сервис электронной почты с поддержкой сообщества"]},"specialoffer:limited":{"${ hours } hour":["${ hours } час","${ hours } часа","${ hours } часов","${ hours } часа"],"${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } and ${ secondsLeft } left":["Осталось ${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } и ${ secondsLeft }"],"${ minutes } minute":["${ minutes } минута","${ minutes } минуты","${ minutes } минут","${ minutes } минуты"],"${ seconds } second":["${ seconds } секунда","${ seconds } секунды","${ seconds } секунд","${ seconds } секунды"],"Limited time offer":["Ограниченное по времени предложение"]},"specialoffer:listitem":{"Create multiple addresses":["Создавайте несколько адресов"],"Hide-my-email aliases":["Создавайте алиасы hide-my-email"],"Quickly unsubscribe from newsletters":["С легкостью отменяйте подписку на рассылки"],"Use your own domain name":["Используйте собственное доменное имя"]},"specialoffer:logos":{"As featured in":["О нас в СМИ"]},"specialoffer:metadescription":{"Get an encrypted email that protects your privacy":["Электронная почта, защищающая вашу конфиденциальность"]},"specialoffer:metatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Up to 40% off":["Черная пятница в Proton Mail: скидки до 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.":["Получите Proton Mail со скидкой до 40 %. Не пропустите выгодные предложения на планы безопасной электронной почты, зашифрованной сквозным шифрованием, в честь «черной пятницы»."]},"specialoffer:newmetatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday sale | Up to 40% off secure email":["«Черная пятница» в Proton Mail | Скидки до 40 %"]},"specialoffer:note":{"* Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["* ${ TOTAL_SUM } за первый год."],"*Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["* ${ TOTAL_SUM } за первые два года."],"30-day money-back guarantee":["Гарантия возврата средств в течение 30 дней"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["${ TOTAL_SUM } за первые 2 года"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["${ TOTAL_SUM } за первый год"],"You save ${ SAVE_SUM }":["Вы экономите ${ SAVE_SUM }."]},"specialoffer:off":{"${ PERCENT_OFF } off":["–${ PERCENT_OFF }"]},"specialoffer:testimonial":{"I love my ProtonMail":["Обожаю ProtonMail!"],"My favorite email service":["Мой любимый сервис электронной почты"],"Thanks Proton for keeping us all safe in the complicated internet universe.":["Спасибо Proton за защиту в запутанном интернет-пространстве."],"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":["Полностью оправданное вложение денег. Бигтех-компании используют тебя, если ты им не платишь. Поэтому я перешла с Gmail на @ProtonMail."]},"specialoffer:time":{"Days":["дн."],"Hours":["ч."],"Min":["мин."]},"specialoffer:title":{"And much more":["И это еще не всё"],"Make your inbox yours":["Настройка на свой вкус"],"Safe from trackers":["Защита от трекеров"],"Stay organized":["Всё по полочкам"],"Black Friday email deals":["Безопасная почта для покупок в «черную пятницу»"],"Don’t just take our word for it":["Отзывы наших клиентов"],"Our story":["Наша история"],"Transfer your data from Google in one click":["Перенесите данные из Gmail в одно нажатие"]},"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.":["Сохраняйте конфиденциальность в интернете и получайте доступ к заблокированному контенту. Включает ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } серверов более чем в ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } странах с возможностью подключения на 10 устройствах, доступ к стриминговым платформам со всего мира, блокировщик рекламы, функцию защиты от вредоносных программ и другие преимущества."],"Easily share your calendar with your family, friends or colleagues, and view external calendars.":["Предоставляйте доступ к календарю родственникам, друзьям и коллегам, а также просматривайте календари других сервисов"],"Includes support for 1 custom email domain, 10 email addresses, 10 hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Включает поддержку 1 пользовательского домена, 10 адресов электронной почты, 10 алиасов hide-my-email, совместный доступ к календарю и другие преимущества."],"Includes support for 3 custom email domains, 15 email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Включает поддержку трех пользовательских доменов, 15 адресов электронной почты, неограниченного числа алиасов hide-my-email, совместный доступ к календарю и другие преимущества."],"Manage up to 25 calendars, mobile apps, secured with end-to-end encryption, 1-click calendar import from Google, and more.":["До 25 календарей, мобильные приложения, сквозное шифрование, удобный перенос данных из Google Календаря и другие преимущества"]},"Status banner":{"Learn more":["Подробнее"],"Please note that at the moment we are experiencing issues with the ${ issues[0] } service.":["Сейчас при использовании сервиса ${ issues[0] } могут возникать проблемы."],"We are experiencing issues with one or more services at the moment.":["При использовании одного или нескольких сервисов могут возникать проблемы."]},"Status Banner":{"At the moment we are experiencing issues with the Proton VPN service":["При использовании сервиса Proton VPN могут возникать проблемы"],"Learn more":["Подробнее"]},"suggestions":{"Suggestions":["Предложения"]},"Support":{"Sub category":["Подкатегория","Подкатегории","Подкатегорий","Подкатегорий"]},"Support article":{"${ readingTime } min":["${ readingTime } мин.","${ readingTime } мин.","${ readingTime } мин.","${ readingTime } мин."],"Category":["Категория","Категории","Категорий","Категорий"],"Didn’t find what you were looking for?":["Не нашли желаемый контент?"],"General contact":["Общие контакты"],"Get help":["Получить помощь"],"Legal contact":["Контакты юридического отдела"],"Media contact":["Контакты для прессы"],"Partnerships contact":["Контакты по вопросам партнерства"],"Reading":["Чтение"]},"Support troubleshooting":{"App version":["Версия приложения"],"Browser":["Браузер"],"Check if this helps":["Возможно, нужный ответ найдется здесь"],"Choose a product":["Выберите продукт"],"Did this solve your issue?":["Удалось ли нам решить вашу проблему?"],"Faster assistance is just a few clicks away":["Пара нажатий, и вы получите быструю помощь"],"How can we help?":["Чем мы можем помочь?"],"No, contact support":["Нет, связаться со службой поддержки"],"Please fill out one field after another":["Заполните поля по порядку"],"Please make your selections":["Отметьте подходящие варианты"],"Proton account":["Аккаунт Proton"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Thank you for your feedback":["Спасибо за отзыв!"],"What can we help with?":["Какая помощь требуется?"],"Yes":["Да"]},"support_modal_search_query":{"Search query":["Поисковый запрос"]},"support_search_button":{"Search":["Найти"]},"support_search_i_am_looking_for":{"I'm looking for":["Я ищу"]},"SupportForm":{"For a faster resolution, please report the issue from the Bridge app: Help > Report a problem.":["Чтобы быстро устранить проблему в приложении Bridge, выберите «Справка» > «Сообщить о проблеме»."],"Information":["Информация"]},"SupportForm:option":{"Account Security":["Безопасность аккаунта"],"Contacts":["Контакты"],"Custom email domain":["Пользовательский домен адреса электронной почты"],"Email delivery and Spam":["Доставка электронных писем и спам"],"Encryption":["Шифрование"],"Login and password":["Имя пользователя и пароль"],"Merge aliases and accounts":["Объединение псевдонимов и аккаунтов"],"Migrate to Proton":["Переход на Proton"],"Notifications":["Уведомления"],"Other":["Другое"],"Plans and billing":["Тарифы и оплата"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Sign up":["Регистрация"],"Storage":["Хранилище"],"Users, addresses, and identities":["Пользователи, адреса и личные данные"]},"SupportForm:optionIntro":{"Select a topic":["Выберите тему"]},"swiss_baseed_feature":{"Swiss based":["В Швейцарии"]},"Testimonial":{"Awards":["Награды"],"Customers":["Клиенты"],"Featured":["Что о нас говорят"],"Go to testimonial source":["Перейти к источнику отзыва"],"Reviews":["Отзывы"],"Videos":["видео."]},"Text":{"If you need help, check out our ${ supportLink }.":["Если вам нужна помощь, перейдите в ${ supportLink }."],"The page you’re looking for might have been removed, or it could be an\nold link.":["Возможно, страница удалена\nили у вас устаревшая ссылка."]},"Title":{"On this page":["На этой странице"],"Related articles":["Статьи по теме"],"Share ${ thisPage }":["Поделиться ${ thisPage }"],"Thank you!":["Спасибо!"],"this page":["этой страницей"]},"Tooltip":{"More information":["Подробнее"]},"tooltip_vpn":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Получайте доступ к заблокированному контенту, просматривайте страницы анонимно и пользуйтесь стриминговыми сервисами со всего мира. Мы предлагаем ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } серверов более чем в ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } странах, высочайшую скорость VPN, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN-подключений, защиту от вредоносных программ, блокировщик рекламы и многое другое."]},"wallet_signup_2024:Action":{"Get Proton Wallet":["Получить Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage hero product link title":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage product navigation bar":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:menu item":{"Bitcoin guide":["Руководство по Bitcoin"],"Proton Wallet news":["Proton Wallet: новости"],"Proton Wallet support":["Proton Wallet: поддержка"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Pricing":{"Includes everything in Proton Unlimited and":["Включены все функции Proton Unlimited и"],"Limited availability":["Доступ ограничен"],"The easiest way to securely own, send, and receive Bitcoin":["Самый простой способ безопасно хранить, получать и отправлять Bitcoin"]},"wallet_signup_2024:ProductRange":{"Discover Proton Wallet":["Знакомство с Proton Wallet"],"Store and transact Bitcoin privately with an encrypted self-custody wallet.":["Храните и переводите Bitcoin с помощью некастодиального кошелька с шифрованием."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet bitcoin":{"Learn about Bitcoin, the Internet's value network.":["Рассказываем о сети создания ценности в Интернете — Bitcoin."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet overview":{"Ensure you're always in control of your Bitcoin.":["Обеспечьте полный контроль над своими средствами в Bitcoin."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet security":{"The encrypted, open-source wallet that puts you in control.":["Кошелёк с шифрованием и открытым исходным кодом, который контролируете только вы."]}}},"base":"blog","cdn":{"enabledForAssets":true,"enabledForImages":false,"url":"https://pmecdn.protonweb.com/"},"unleashApi":"https://account.proton.me/api"};
window.frameworkContext = frameworkContext;
const context = frameworkContext.base === '' ? '' : `${frameworkContext.base}/`;
window.__toAssetUrl = (filename) => {
if (frameworkContext.cdn !== undefined && frameworkContext.cdn.enabledForAssets === true) {
return `${frameworkContext.cdn.url}${context}${filename}`;
} else {
return `/${context}${filename}`;
}
};
})();
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(новое окно). 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(новое окно). 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(новое окно), which are apps that use encryption(новое окно) 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.(новое окно)
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(новое окно).
Обеспечьте конфиденциальность своих данных с Proton
In response to popular demand, our privacy-first AI writing assistant Proton
Scribe is now available for free on our Duo and Family plans, in nine different
languages.
Proton Drive provides private and secure file sharing, document editing, and
cloud storage for businesses of all sizes. Take control of your company's data.